a storm whereon they ride
by wild wolf free17
Summary: Klaine serial killer AU. Blaine's good at being adorable. Kurt's even better at appearing helpless.
1. Blaine

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; dark; character death; violence/bullying; sexual assault; threat of rape

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, unwanted and unrequited Karofsky/Kurt; Kurt/Blaine/OMCs

Rating: R

Wordcount: 925

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any, "_I would butcher {the} whole world, if only you would love me!_" (Quote from Gladiator.)

* * *

It didn't start out like this. It started out with holding hands, singing, flirting, smiling - it started out so _adorable_.

Blaine is very good at being adorable. At wooing anyone who needs to be wooed.

And at first, he thought that's all Kurt would ever be. Another mark. Another game.

He was wrong.

It's the only time he's ever been glad he was wrong.

.

Kurt had a core of steel, hiding beneath all the pale skin and tired eyes. Beneath the ice he tried piling on, to hide everything. He latched onto Blaine, and Blaine played a good game (Blaine _always _plays a good game, smiling and helping and lying in wait), and Kurt's soul was even more bruised, when he called Blaine in tears and sobbed out a disgusted, horrified confession.

Oh, it was so beautiful.

It was everything Blaine could've wanted.

.

And Kurt's bully kept getting worse. Stalking. Harassing. Terrifying. And it was all well and good, totally helping Blaine sell his game –

But Karofsky took it one step too far. Words are fine; Blaine thrives on words. But he put his hands on Kurt one more time, he left his fingerprints on Kurt's wrist, on Kurt's _throat_, and he _dared _-

He dared whisper into Kurt's mouth that he'd be Kurt's first, Kurt's only, the very first chance he got.

And instead of calling his dad, or his 'friends,' or that cheerleading coach he thought hung the moon, Kurt called Blaine.

And Blaine cut school, drove an hour and half, and gathered Kurt into his arms.

It started out so adorable. But Kurt wasn't even crying anymore, head tucked under Blaine's chin, hands clenching Blaine's blazer. Kurt wasn't crying. He was barely breathing.

It had been a game, like all the others.

It wasn't anymore.

.

Dave Karofsky was twice Blaine's size. A football player. Used to being feared. That fear usually did half the work for him.

Blaine wasn't afraid of him.

Dave Karofsky ran away from home his junior year of high-school. That's what everyone said. His grades had suddenly started tanking at the end of tenth grade, he became belligerent, he cut class.

He had notebooks in his room, that he left behind, full of confessions and fears and crushes.

Or, well. One crush.

His dad tried to find him. His mother didn't even go in his room, disgusted at the thought of her son liking another boy.

(Dave Karofsky didn't run away.)

.

Kurt Hummel left McKinley for Christmas break like everyone else, but he started at Dalton in the new year. He couldn't handle McKinley after everything. He felt like a failure, but his dad just wanted him to survive.

He stuck close to Blaine, and Blaine was so good, so kind. Blaine took care of him. Blaine listened to him, and held him, and promised that no one would hurt him ever again.

Of course Kurt fell in love.

.

A lot of people ran away from Lima in 2011. Enough that the police started looking closer. But they didn't find the burial ground until years later, and even then, there were no hints or clues. Just a lot of bones.

.

Kurt waited until they were in New York, him and Blaine, Blaine at NYU and Kurt at Julliard. He waited until they had their own apartment (tiny though it was) and their very own bed, and then he said, "I know, Blaine."

Blaine held his breath before exhaling slowly and sitting up, turning to look down at Kurt (oh, Kurt had grown up so gorgeous, and his core of steel, and the ice he no longer used to cover everything), and he asked, "Know what, Kurt?"

And Kurt smiled at him, reaching up to caress his cheek, his jaw, his lips. "Thank you," he said quietly. "But I think – I think we should find a new game."

A few minutes passed in silence, Blaine staring down and Kurt smiling up, and then Blaine nodded, settling back onto Kurt's chest, listening to his heartbeat. "What do you suggest?" he asked.

.

It didn't start out like this, Blaine knows. He used to be so directionless, just picking at random, never as often as he liked.

But he found Kurt (Kurt found him?), and Kurt had all these bullies who needed to go. Kurt needed to be taken care of, and protected, and avenged.

Blaine had thought he'd been playing Kurt, but Kurt was playing him right back the whole time, and that knowledge is _glorious_.

.

There's an urban legend making its way around Manhattan's bar-scene. The cops haven't picked up on it yet, and by the time they do, it'll be too late.

Anyway, there's these two guys, right? Both gorgeous. One dark and one light, one shortish and one tall, one sun-warm and the other ice-cold. And they pick out a man, and they dance with him, and they seduce him, they give him the time of his life –

And then they kill him.

There haven't been any bodies yet, just men going missing. And who ever looks for men who vanish? Everyone knows they probably just up and walked away.

.

It's just a game. And it didn't start out like this. Blaine thought Kurt was so young, so innocent. And if it'll keep Kurt with him, he'll play with whoever Kurt wants, however Kurt wants.

"I love you," Kurt murmurs into his mouth, ignoring the body writhing beneath them. "I love you so much, Blaine."

Blaine wants to hear it every day until he dies.


	2. Kurt

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters

Warnings: bullying/violence; attempted non-con; canon sexual assault; AU

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; unrequited and unwanted Karofsky/Kurt

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 775

Point of view: third

Prompt: any, any, "I don't get mad, I get even."

* * *

Kurt holds his head high and keeps a list. He started it in middle school, as a way of making himself feel better - everyone he would kill, if given the chance. He never wrote it down, and while his father taught him to shoot, he never planned on bringing the gun to school.

Kurt's smarter than that.

.

Kurt knows that bullies are a part of life. Something he has to learn to deal with.

Kurt's a survivor, and he's getting out of Lima the first chance that presents itself. Living well might be the only vengeance he can ever have, because if he started killing everyone on his list, there'd be a handful of people left in Lima and too many bodies to ever get away with.

So. Kurt daydreams about it instead.

.

And then he meets Blaine. And Blaine's charming, and gorgeous, and Kurt looks into his eyes and wonders…

He tells Blaine about the bullying, and Karofsky, and how no one cares. How he tries so hard to stay strong.

None of it is a lie.

.

Karofsky kisses him, and Kurt runs straight to Blaine.

Karofsky tries to do worse, and no one notices, and Kurt cries in Blaine's arms.

Not all of it is a lie… but most of it is.

.

Karofsky runs away.

Kurt starts the New Year at Dalton, and he stays close to Blaine, and he's quiet and shy because of how _scarred _McKinley and its horrors left him.

(Lie.)

Blaine takes care of him. Blaine guides and guards him. Of course Kurt falls in love.

(Truth.)

And Kurt tells Blaine everything – names of those who hurt him. Times, places. Slushies, lockers, dumpsters, words, bruises, bloodied clothes.

A lot of people run away.

Through it all, Kurt sings and laughs and _heals_.

.

Oh, Dad, Dalton is _safe_. Blaine's so _wonderful_. I'm _happy. _I'd forgotten what happiness felt like.

No, Dad, none of it was your fault. I didn't want you to know! Your heart, and Mom… I had to be strong for you. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough.

Oh, Dad, Blaine sang to me again today!

No, Dad, the classes are harder, but it's all so amazing.

Oh, Dad, Blaine held my hand in the hall and no one so much as glared!

No, Dad, I miss you all so much, I do – but I can't – McKinley, Dad. I don't think – I'm sorry I'm so weak, but I don't think I can handle it.

Oh, Dad, Blaine got into NYU! We're both going to New York!

No, Dad, I never told you everything. About Karofsky. What happened.

Oh, Dad, I hadn't thought life could ever be so good.

.

In Lima, Kurt had to stay his hand. Names were crossed off his list one-by-one, but he hadn't done anything except murmur what they had done to deserve it. And so many people remained…

But in New York, there is no one who has done anything to deserve it.

In New York, there is a world of possibility. It's such a big city. So many people go missing every day.

… and Kurt really wants to get blood on his hands.

.

Blaine and Kurt share a tiny apartment in New York. Kurt's at Julliard and it's amazing. Rachel is at her dream school and she never really bothered with Kurt after he left McKinley. The only person Kurt's in contact with is Finn. He doesn't miss any of them, especially the ones who had made their way onto his list.

Blaine's in Kurt's arms, and they have class tomorrow, and he can't wait any longer, so he says, "I know, Blaine."

Kurt feels how Blaine holds his breath in shock before exhaling slowly and pulling out of Kurt's arms, sitting up so he can stare down at Kurt, and he asks, "Know what, Kurt?"

And Kurt smiles at him, reaching up to caress his cheek, his jaw, his lips. "Thank you," he says quietly. "But I think – I think we should find a new game."

A few minutes pass in silence, Blaine staring down and Kurt smiling up, and then Blaine nods, settling back onto Kurt's chest, ear over Kurt's heart. "What do you suggest?" he asks.

Kurt threads his fingers in Blaine's hair and says, "Let's do it together."

.

Kurt still chooses. He mainly likes to watch, though he gets his hands bloody, too.

On their first trip back to Lima to see Dad, Blaine shows Kurt where all the bodies are.

.

Kurt starts a new list. He never writes it down, but he whispers it into Blaine's skin, and it's so red, and everything is _perfect_.


	3. Sebastian

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Fandom: Glee

Disclaimer: not my characters

Warnings: character death; AU

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; unrequited Sebastian/Blaine

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 460

Point of view: third

Note: I realized that, in my little AU here, Kurt&Blaine would've been at Dalton when Sebastian showed up. I couldn't let that go.

* * *

A few weeks into their senior year, a newly-transferred junior tries to come between Kurt and Blaine.

_Tries_ being the key word.

Sebastian Smythe thinks he's so worldly, so mysterious, so appealing – he flirts with Blaine, insults Kurt, mocks the Warblers' traditions even while auditioning, because he knows they're the most popular group at Dalton, and Sebastian Smythe must _always_ be at the top.

Blaine thanks him kindly for the compliment of hitting on him. Kurt looks at him icily and turns away.

It's cute, Kurt muses later, hands and lips on Blaine, that Sebastian thinks he has a chance.

.

Sebastian barely makes it onto the Warblers. He tries to ingratiate himself to the Council (Thad, Blaine, and a junior named Marius) but all Blaine ever does is smile at him (the hollow, showman smile everyone but Kurt falls for) and thank him for his suggestions.

Sebastian takes out his impotent fury on Kurt, with comments that are almost _nice_ after McKinley. Kurt listens to every insult, to each jab about his imperfections, and only ever stares at Sebastian in response.

The months pass, and finally, just before Christmas break, Blaine asks, "How badly has Sebastian been bothering you?"

Kurt shrugs. "It's nothing," he says quietly, staring at his hands, folded demurely in his lap.

When Blaine kisses his forehead and then rests against him, Kurt smiles victoriously into his shoulder, and almost wishes he could handle it himself.

It's too soon for that, though. This is Blaine's turf.

.

Blaine has been letting Kurt deal with Sebastian because he thought Kurt found it amusing. Sebastian was harmless. Annoying, yes, but ultimately just a little boy who was attempting to bite off more than he could chew. And Sebastian apparently kept the nastier comments away from Blaine's hearing, so it's worse than he'd been thinking for the past three months.

Unacceptable, he thinks, watching the way Sebastian glares at Kurt during practice.

Sebastian Smythe has overstayed his welcome, and it's been _weeks_ since Blaine last played.

.

There is an investigation, of course, but all signs point to Sebastian taking off in the night. No evidence of foul play, at all. He has more than enough money of his own to vanish.

If Kurt is a little more passionate in the days after Sebastian's hasty and unlamented departure, well.

Blaine's pleasantly surprised. Sometimes, he absently wonders if Kurt suspects, because he seems almost _smug_ about something, but surely not. Kurt's too innocent for that.

.

(In a little over a year, Kurt will lead Blaine to a bar, and pull him into his arms, back to chest, and whisper in his ear, "That one," nodding at a beautiful man dancing in the middle of the crowd.

Blaine will lick his lips and nod.)


	4. New York

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Fandom: Glee

Disclaimer: not my characters

Warnings: original character death; AU; a few things from season 4 incorporated

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; Kurt/Blaine/OMC

Rating: R

Wordcount: 1545

Point of view: third

Prompt: one chapter in New York with the new game? Or maybe one where Blaine kills someone he thought was bugging Kurt but in reality it was a misunderstanding?

Note: if anyone feels inclined to leave requests/prompts/ideas for this 'verse, that'd be lovely. I want to write more for it, but I'm not sure what.

Another note: I googled a little bit about New York colleges. If it's wrong, *handwave* it, since I doubt it's any worse than canon.

* * *

Kurt graduates from Julliard with a BFA in the spring and goes to work at vogue . com in the summer while auditioning for plays and dabbling in a few scripts of his own. He starts out as an intern but rises swiftly, and even manages to not alienate too many people on the way up. The whole time, he also writes about a serial killer who falls in love with another serial killer; he gets a trilogy out of it, and laughingly shares it with Blaine.

Blaine graduates from NYU Steinhardt with a BS in Communicative Sciences and Disorders in the spring and goes straight to grad school for the fall.

They go back to Lima for half the summer. They check out the old stomping grounds, touch base with Kurt's dad, stop in to see Blaine's parents in Columbus for a few minutes.

They don't add any new trophies to the old boneyard; they're both far too smart for that, no matter how appealing the thought is

.

Kurt gets a callback in March; it's not his first, but it's the first where he _really_ wants the part. It's a minor role, of course, but his character would be responsible for most of the climax even _happening_ (because he's a jealous douchebag, but he gets this _amazing_ solo about transitory glory and how the protagonist is a moron, and it's _awesome_), and he spends about a month raving about both the play and Darien (the character) to Blaine.

And then Jesalyn, one of his coworkers, accidently fucks up a major project at work and Kurt has to choose: making the callback or letting three months of effort go to waste.

Kurt could just _kill_ her, he really could. But instead he smiles and talks gently and lets her cry into his jacket for a good five minutes before he takes a deep breath, straightens his spine, and saves the day.

He gets a promotion out of it, because Isabelle praises him to Anna – but he loses the part to one of NYADA's new graduates, and when he and Blaine go see the play, he sits with his lips pressed firmly together because he can _hear_ everywhere he would've done a better job.

That night, he curls up in Blaine's arms and lets himself cry because he _really_ wanted that part. It's silly, because there will be others, and Jesalyn's fuck up actually helped him, but… it feels like the Defying Gravity debacle all over again.

Blaine holds him, humming Teenage Dream, his arms strong and his chest sturdy, and Kurt slips into dreams of mayhem and murder.

.

Three days later, Zachary Yavin goes missing. He doesn't show up for the evening performance of the play that should've been Kurt's. His apartment is empty of anything of value, but he didn't let on to anyone he was leaving town. His understudy takes over for the rest of the play's run.

The next morning, Jesalyn Horst doesn't show up for work.

.

Mostly, Kurt is annoyed that Blaine took Zachary's death from him. And Jesalyn was a good minion, who had innovative ideas and was always extra careful on any projects she did for Kurt.

He doesn't regret either of their deaths, of course. Because Blaine shows him everything, and keeps looking up at him, back at him, over his shoulder, silently asking, _Didn't I do such a good job?_

So Kurt smiles, because it really is romantic. Every time, it's so _romantic_. Kurt pulls Blaine to him, ignoring the blood, and murmurs into his mouth, "You take my breath away."

.

Jesalyn is found in an alley in a bad part of town. Zachary never turns up.

Kurt goes to Jesalyn's funeral, of course. He hugs her parents, tells them what a wonderful girl she was. He holds Blaine's hand through all the hymns.

.

For a few months, Blaine focuses on his course-load and his part-time job at a suicide prevention hotline. He and Kurt have a standing date-night, and they see each other in the mornings and go to bed together, but they're both very busy.

It isn't until the beginning of summer, two years after graduation, almost a year since Blaine's last game, a year and a half since Kurt's, that they go to a bar and cruise for a new playmate.

.

His name is Joshua. He's twenty, goes to the School of Education at Hunter, is staying in the city for the summer instead of going home to Indiana, has blond hair and blue eyes. He's gorgeous and funny and smart.

He's also very sexually adventurous, which will turn out quite poorly for him.

.

Kurt and Blaine's eighth anniversary is a Saturday. Kurt plans everything out perfectly.

.

Blaine gets along wonderfully with most of his classmates. But there's this one girl in his Italian class who goes out of her way to make everything harder. It started out as a project where they were assigned as partners and she found fault with everything he did, then threw him under the bus when the professor questioned her choices about PowerPoint slides. It all snowballed from there.

Italian was supposed to be Blaine's fun class, in the midst of all the difficult and dry courses. He was mostly fluent before taking it, and it was meant to be _easy_. But then Marisa happened.

He could've dealt with her three semesters ago, instead of letting her follow him up the ladder. She's there, every class, glaring at him, harassing him – he's killed people for less.

But she's not worth it. He can't kill everyone who bothers him.

("And what was Sebastian?" Kurt asks, when he says that. "Or that Yavin idiot, or Jesalyn?"

Blaine shrugs. "They were bothering _you_," he explains.

Kurt smiles at him and pounces, and Blaine has to rush to finish his paper the next morning.)

.

Blaine is always extremely careful, but Kurt takes meticulous to the next level.

Marisa Stevens calls her sister, her brother, and her parents, but all the calls are late at night and she doesn't let the phone ring long enough to leave a voicemail. She texts her sister and her mom a goodbye.

She kills herself with a sleeping pill overdose, and there's no evidence anyone else was involved.

.

Kurt and Blaine's anniversary date is going to Marisa Stevens' apartment.

For all that they've been playing for eight (seven) years, Kurt has never actually done it alone. Since he doesn't want to vanish Marisa (he always feels slightly bad for the families, but usually not enough to do anything about it), he can't take her anywhere else. So instead he brings Blaine to her, tells Blaine to watch, and proceeds to methodically kill the woman who's been bothering Blaine for over a year.

Blaine really loves his anniversary present that year.

.

Kurt's dad gets worried, sometimes, about Kurt alone in New York. Even though Kurt's nearing twenty-six, and lives with his boyfriend, and has a steady job and a small stream of roles, and is happier than Dad ever saw him in Lima… Dad watches the news. And he calls Kurt, sometimes, when a story strikes too close to home.

Kurt always assures him that they're safe, him and Blaine. They don't walk down dark streets at night. They lock their door, and call when they're headed home, and check in whenever one of them has to stay late, either at work or the library.

Blaine's approaching his graduation with a Master's. His parents are glad he went for an actual field and not something 'frivolous' like Kurt, though of course they've never said that to Blaine. He has a position lined up and he's pretty sure he helped save a life over the phone the other night, when a crying boy called in instead of doing something stupid and final.

Kurt meets his eyes from across the table and raises an eyebrow, smirking ever so slightly.

_Tonight?_ the tilt of his head, the shine in his eyes means.

Blaine nods, smiling.

.

His name is Antonio. He and Blaine flirt back and forth in Italian for hours, while Kurt sips his drink and dances with strangers.

Kurt and Blaine take him home.

This time, while Blaine watches breathlessly, Kurt makes the final move, using his favorite sai and staring down as the light in Antonio's eyes fades.

Blaine lunges for him, knocking Antonio off the bed, kissing Kurt so fervently it aches. Kurt carefully drops his knife on Antonio, so that Blaine doesn't accidently stab either one of them, and flips them over.

.

The first person Kurt ever thought about killing was Johnny Larks. Johnny was in eighth grade when Kurt was in sixth, and he is the first bully Kurt can remember. Shoves, slurs, destroyed homework and books – kid stuff, really.

Kurt was tiny, then, and young. So young.

Sometimes, he thinks Johnny killed his innocence, turned him into a ravening monster.

But Kurt knows, wrapped up in and around Blaine, music thrumming through his bones and his blood, basking in the yearning stares, that it wasn't Johnny who made him like this.

Lady Gaga's old hit comes on and Kurt throws back his head, laughing, as his one-time goddess screams, "Baby, you were born this way."


	5. Family

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Fandom: Glee

Disclaimer: not my characters

Warnings: implied animal deaths

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 375

Point of view: third

* * *

Maria and Ethan Anderson know what their younger son is. They've known since he was a child and a few other children looked at him with haunted eyes, since pets on their street went missing or turned up dead, since Cooper quit spending any time at all with him and just shook his head when Maria would ask him to babysit. There's a reason the Anderson's never had a pet, no matter how their sons begged.

Maria tried talking to Blaine about right and wrong, about good little boys and bad little boys. Blaine had smiled at her, a bright, charming grin and promised to always be a good little boy. The very next day, a beagle from two streets over went missing.

Ethan used to lecture Blaine about right and wrong. Blaine listened avidly; Ethan is pretty sure that's where Blaine's gentleman persona originated.

Blaine's family knows what he is. They never talk about it. They never report him. Whether it's love or fear, not even they know.

When Blaine introduces his new friend Kurt, Maria recognizes him for what he is. When Blaine brings Kurt home a few months later and announces they're dating, Ethan realizes where he's seen that smile before. When Cooper comes home for Blaine's eighteenth birthday and shakes Kurt's hand, he knows that look in his eyes.

None of them say a thing.

.

Burt has no idea his son isn't that little boy who used to play tea party. Kurt has never liked animals or other children all that much. Kurt much preferred keeping to himself or spending time with Burt.

Burt has no idea at all why so many kids ran away, but he's glad that Kurt was safe up at Dalton. And when Kurt started smiling again, when Kurt started laughing, and talking about _Blaine this_ and _Blaine that_, Burt was so happy he could've grabbed Blaine and spun him around the room in thanks.

Far as Burt is concerned, Blaine's welcome in his house any day of the week. Blaine saved his son's life, Burt knows that for a fact.

Every time Burt looks at the man his son has become, he sees that little boy who taught him how to take tea. He'll never see anything else.


	6. Dalton

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Fandom: Glee

Disclaimer: not my characters

Warnings: implied animal deaths

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; unrequited Sebastian/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 1015

Point of view: third

* * *

"We can't send him to Bishop," Maria tells Ethan as the end of eighth grade approaches. "He'll eat them alive."

Ethan nods, glancing towards the den, where Blaine's playing the piano. Blaine's popular in middle school; he's funny and charming and able to fit into any group he wants.

But high school is different. Blaine's been faking his way for years, and high schoolers are stupid. Someone will do something to set him off.

Maria starts listing off other schools, private schools, they could send Blaine to, and Ethan says, "What about Dalton Academy?" Maria tilts her head in askance, so Ethan adds, "It's where Dale sent Cody, after the incident. They have a zero tolerance policy towards all forms of harassment. It's strenuously enforced."

"We should check it out," Maria says, nodding.

Blaine doesn't have a temper, really. But he doesn't do well with fools. And if they can do anything to keep something… _unfortunate_ from happening – they'll do anything.

.

Dalton is in Westerville, barely half an hour away. But it's cheaper to board instead of dealing with traffic, and Blaine wants to.

He assures his parents he'll do well. "Be good," Dad says as they leave.

Blaine smiles and promises to do his best.

.

Blaine thrives at Dalton. He quickly finds his role to play and it works like a charm; he tries out for the Warblers and acts nervous, unsure. Two of the upperclassmen, one of them part of the Council, take him under their wings. He joins the fencing club and takes Italian, boxes and takes martial arts.

He doesn't talk about his family, but everything else is an open book. Blaine is popular, first with the freshmen but then with everyone. He paves the way in ninth grade, cements it in tenth, and then when junior year rolls around, Blaine is the most popular boy in school. Everyone loves him.

And then Kurt Hummel comes to spy on the Warblers, and stops Blaine on the stairs, and it's a whole new world.

.

Dave Karofsky is not the first. He's the fourth, actually.

Of those first few, though, he is the most satisfying.

Because Kurt is Blaine's. From that moment Blaine turned at the foot of the stairs and looked up at Kurt… Kurt is _his_.

And Blaine will kill anyone in the world to keep him.

.

Kurt settles into Dalton with ease. He's nervous at first, of course; how couldn't he be, coming from a hellhole where no one ever said a thing every time he was shoved into lockers, or tossed into dumpsters, or had icebergs thrown into his face?

… Blaine really wants to visit McKinley and burn it down. He doesn't, because that would be a bit hard to hide. But Kurt sits too close to him and leans against him and tells him about McKinley, and he uses their _names_, and once Blaine has their names…

Well.

Kurt is his, and Kurt is scarred, and even if Kurt never knows –

Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, and twelve happen before Blaine graduates from high school.

Twelve is the only Dalton boy Blaine ever plays with.

.

"What the fuck?" Sebastian demands. Blaine had invited him to Scandals, and offered to drive, but they're not at Scandals. Not anywhere close.

They're nowhere Sebastian knows, and Blaine pickpocketed his phone before they'd even left Dalton's parking lot.

"I've been with Kurt for almost a year," Blaine tells him conversationally, gesturing for Sebastian to get out of the car. He's still smiling his iI'm such a nice boy/i smile, the one Cooper told him was frightening, and Sebastian stares at him for a moment before swallowing and complying.

"What's going on, Blaine?" Sebastian asks, and he's starting to look nervous.

"If you'd just flirted with me and left him alone, things might be different," Blaine says. "You should have left him alone."

"Blaine, seriously," Sebastian says, and now he's close to panicking. Blaine hasn't even brought out the knife yet.

"There was never any chance I'd leave Kurt for you, even for a moment," Blaine tells him, letting the smile drop. "There are hundreds of boys at Dalton. This is your fault for being both stupid and blind." He shrugs.

Sebastian just blinks dumbly for a second before lunging at Blaine.

Blaine laughs, dodging and using Sebastian's own momentum to get him on the ground. Sebastian is winded and freezes when he feels the blade at his neck.

"Like I said," Blaine whispers, tapping him gently on the face, "stupid."

It was funny, at first, how desperate Sebastian was. And he had a decent voice, so Blaine, Thad, and Marius let him join the Warblers. And if he hadn't been saying all those things to Kurt –

"This is the boneyard," Blaine says, pulling Sebastian up and keeping the knife close. "You'll be here for awhile, Sebastian. You should feel honored, too – no one else has ever seen it." He smiles at Sebastian, and Sebastian shudders.

"Please, Blaine, whatever's going on – " His eyes are on the knife.

Blaine says, "Walk" and shoves Sebastian forwards.

.

The next day, Blaine kisses Kurt breathless, and Kurt clings to him, muffling his laughter in Blaine's neck, and Blaine wishes he could tell Kurt _everything_. Show him.

Sebastian isn't much missed at Dalton. Everyone knows he just took his grandfather's money and went back to Europe. He'd turn up one day, all smirks and boasts.

He never does, but Dalton forgets him.

Dalton is Blaine's, just like Kurt.

.

Dad asks Blaine what he plans to do after Dalton. Blaine shows him the acceptance letter to NYU Steinhardt.

Mom asks Blaine where he plans to live in New York, if he'll stay in the dorms or find his own place. He tells her that Kurt already has everything planned: their own apartment, tiny though it'll be. Their own space. A home, just him and Kurt.

Cooper asks Blaine if he's happy. Blaine smiles so wide his face hurts.

Blaine has no idea how he existed before Kurt.

He knows that he'll never be without Kurt again.


	7. A Game

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, with Kurt/OMC and Blaine/OMC

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 265

Point of view: third

Prompt: Glee, author's choice, with their eyes

* * *

Kurt sits at the bar, slumped down over his drink, letting one hand dangle beside him and the other rest on his neck. He's been there for hours, nursing the same drink, glancing over his shoulder every now and then.

"Boy trouble?" a pretty man asks, settling next to him, body turned to face Kurt, a pretty smile on his pretty face, his pretty blond hair swooped back from his pretty forehead, pretty dark lashes framing his pretty green eyes.

"He's not my boy anymore," Kurt answers, eyes flicking up to look at the man, before focusing back on his drink. "He's with _Kyle_ now, and they're _happy_, and I'm _alone again_."

Kurt is not a weepy drunk, and he's not drunk at all, but tears spill over, and he brings both hands to his eyes to hide them.

"Hey, now," the pretty man says. "Is he here tonight?"

Kurt lowers his hands, nodding, still keeping his face tucked down.

The pretty man says, "I'm Alex. Dance with me; show him you don't need him anymore."

Wiping at his eyes, Kurt whispers, "You're very pretty, Alex."

Alex laughs and stands up, holding out a hand. Kurt smiles and slips off the stool, letting himself sway into Alex's grip.

The song changes to Kurt's old favorite "Bad Romance," and he looks over Alex's shoulder at Blaine, dancing with a blond who could be Alex's brother.

Blaine meets his eyes, grinning wide enough to show all his teeth, and Kurt tilts his head so he can kiss Alex's neck.

It's going to be a good night.


	8. Seasons

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; sexual assault

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, unwanted Karofsky/Kurt, Burt/Carole, Finn/Rachel, Finn/OFC

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 470

Point of view: third

Prompt: Author's Choice, Author's Choice, Seasons change and so do I

* * *

_winter_

Karofsky slams Kurt into the wall, breath hot on Kurt's face, hands bruising Kurt's skin. "Why do you keep - how can you - " Karofsky gasps into his neck.

This isn't going how Kurt expected, and he closes his eyes.

_spring_

"When will you come back?" Rachel asks him, smiling earnestly at him from the arm of the couch, where she's perched waiting for Finn. "Karofsky ran away; the bullies are backing off. Finn has really stepped up, Kurt."

"I won't be coming back," Kurt tells her quietly. He's quite done with McKinley, in fact. Two and a half years are already far too much.

The rest of his life is on the way over, and everything is coming along very nicely.

"But - " Rachel starts to protest, and Finn clunks his way down the stairs, so Rachel turns to him and says, "Tell Kurt to come back!"

Finn looks at him, almost nervously. "It's up to Kurt," he says. "C'mon, Rachel - we'll be late if we don't leave now."

Kurt smiles at his stepbrother. Oh, yes. Everything's finally on the way to wonderful.

_summer_

Isabelle is adorable, so excitable, a kind boss. She can't promise Kurt a permanent position, but having something to fall back on when his auditions aren't everything he wants is lovely.

Kurt is the lowest on the totem pole, of course. He fetches coffee, runs errands, nods along when anyone else wants someone to listen.

He auditions multiple times a week for months, writes his own works until his fingers ache, and curls up with Blaine. His favorite thing of all is curling up with Blaine.

_fall_

At Thanksgiving, Dad asks, "When is that boy gonna put a ring on your finger?"

Kurt chokes on a laugh, whisper-shouting, "Dad!"

Dad shrugs. "It's been, what, five years? You're both grown up now, Kurt. Just sayin'." He's grinning, though, across the room, watching whatever silly game is on. Blaine's upstairs unpacking, on the phone with his boss from the hotline.

"You never know, Dad," Kurt tells him. "I might propose to him."

Dad smiles. "I expect to be the first person you call, Kurt, whichever way it happens."

Kurt nods, grinning down at his hands.

He's got it all planned out, but not until after Blaine graduates from grad school. He doesn't need any distractions.

It's going to be perfect, though. Absolutely perfect.

Blaine barrels down the stairs and throws himself next to Kurt on the love-seat, whatever crisis at work past, and Carole's on the way home from the hospital, and Finn's driving in with his girlfriend of eight months (he's serious this time, apparently), and Dad's smiling at them again.

Kurt slides his hand into Blaine's, and leans into him, and imagines the rest of their lives.

It's bright red.


	9. Dad

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; mentions of sexual assault

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, unwanted Karofsky/Kurt

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 425

Point of view: third

Prompt: any, any, you're wrong about me

* * *

Dad thinks Kurt is the four year old who danced with Mama around the kitchen, the seven year old who made Dad sit at a tiny table and drink invisible tea, the nine year old who swore he'd marry Prince William one day, the twelve year old who dressed impeccably for the first day of middle school, the fifteen year old who won the only football game of McKinley's 2009 season, the sixteen year old who couldn't talk for three days after a boy twice his size tried to rape him, and the eighteen year old who moved to New York with the man he'd one day marry.

Kurt is all those boys. He's always been those boys.

But he's also someone else, someone only Blaine knows and survives. He's someone sharp, someone strong, someone quick and brutal, someone clever, someone cruel.

Kurt doesn't really think of himself as the mastermind, but where Blaine is impulsive, Kurt considers, plans, thinks fifteen steps ahead.

Kurt's pretty sure he'd have gone his whole life without ever killing anyone, if he'd never met Blaine. And he knows – they both know – that Blaine would probably have been caught, eventually, if he'd never met Kurt.

Kurt doesn't need the killing, not like Blaine does. Kurt could never do it again and be just fine.

But Blaine… he never looks so beautiful, so _alive_, as he does when he's taking someone's life.

And Kurt loves him, so much – each time is a gift, really.

And this man he is, now, in New York with Blaine…

If Dad saw him, Dad wouldn't know him at all.

Kurt is the boy who used to dance around with Mama, the boy who served Dad invisible tea, the boy who won that football game – but he's also the man with a dozen lives bleeding all over his hands.

"What are you thinkin' about so hard?" Blaine mumbles into his chest, wrapped tight around him.

"Dad," Kurt says, running one hand along Blaine's back. "He doesn't know who I am."

Blaine's quiet for a moment, and then he asks, "Do you want him to?"

"No," Kurt whispers. That's one of his worst nightmares, and it hurts his heart to even think about it.

But not enough to stop, not while Blaine still needs it.

Blaine presses a kiss to the skin above his heart, and Kurt pulls him in closer, and he starts planning their next game.

Kurt doesn't need it, no, not like Blaine.

But he doesn't want to live without it, either.


	10. Soulmates

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; fluff

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 100

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any, "Love was a feeling completely bound up with color, like thousands of rainbows superimposed one on top of the other." (Paulo Coelho)

* * *

Blaine had never, in all his life, imagined Kurt Hummel. He hadn't imagined Kurt's eyes, or Kurt's hands, or Kurt's voice. Fuck, but Kurt's _voice_.

When Blaine had dreamed about his future husband, he always pictured Jared Leto, or Jensen Ackles, or Westley from The Princess Bride.

And then Kurt stopped him on the stairs, and looked at him, and held on so tightly to his hand, and _smiled _at him.

Kurt needed him, it was obvious.

At first, Blaine thought Kurt might be his fourth playmate.

Instead... instead, Kurt is everything.

Kurt is the best choice Blaine ever made.


	11. Cooper

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov; AU

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 325

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any, _I've been to a place so dark it breaks your heart/ the devil's teeth stay sharp and they leave their mark..._

* * *

Cooper thinks, sometimes, that he should call the police and say, "I need to report a murder."

He's daydreamed about it. He's thought about asking Mom or Dad, about writing down everything he knows, everything he suspects, and mailing it anonymously. He's thought about going to confession, even though he's not Christian, much less Catholic.

But he doesn't _know_ anything for sure. He's been frightened of his little brother for eighteen years, since Blaine was five and he saw Blaine with that squirrel… but Blaine is so _smart_. Cooper read the newspaper, watched the news, visited news' sites every day, and he couldn't be sure which of the stories was Blaine – but he knew some of them had to be.

Cooper left as soon as he could, ran far and fast, and the desire to do the right thing and let the world know about his psychopathic little brother faded. Out of sight, out of mind. Cooper focused on school, then on auditions, and he visited as infrequently as he could get away with. He dated, he worked, he completely forgot about Blaine.

Then Blaine brought Kurt home. Mom begged Cooper to come home for Blaine's eighteenth birthday; he hadn't been back in three years.

So Cooper went, breaking up with Molly on the way, and Blaine said, "Coop, this is my boyfriend, Kurt."

Kurt, with soft hands and ice eyes. Kurt, whose gaze was just as dark as Blaine's, whose smile was just as sharp.

Cooper hates his brother's boyfriend.

To be honest, Cooper hates his brother, too.

He checks the news every day, and he thinks about calling the Lima or Columbus PD.

… but there's no concrete evidence. Just his _feelings_, and remembered terror, and the way Blaine looks at knives, the way Kurt looks at Blaine.

And… Blaine's his brother.

So Cooper makes small talk with Kurt, and goes home as infrequently as possible, and quits checking the news.


	12. Victim

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov; murder; non-con

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; Kurt/OMC; Kurt/OMC/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 690

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any, "Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before."

* * *

Fred Thomas has lived in New York all his life. He's nineteen, and been everywhere, and done everything. He waits tables during the day and performs at bars at night, and he's applying to the spring semester at NYU even though he has no idea what he wants to major in or do with his life.

But there's this guy who comes in once a week, at lunch on Wednesdays. He's a little older than Fred, and he's got these cheekbones as sharp as razorblades, and eyes that can't decide if they're blue or grey, and this voice Fred just wants to wrap around himself and snuggle into.

And then there's the guy's body. He wears tight clothes that Fred doesn't understand _at all_, but he works it, and Fred imagines, every Wednesday, peeling him out of them and kissing every inch of his flawless skin.

It's been three months since the guy wandered in, and Fred hasn't been his waiter yet. But Dev and Yolanda, who have served him, say he always tips well, and he's polite and funny, and Fred really wants to ask him out.

But. But on the last Wednesday in November, the guy meets Fred's eyes and tilts his head, so Fred swallows heavily and walks over. "Yes, sir?" he asks, trying to keep his voice level.

"Are you busy Friday night?" the guy asks, smiling up at him.

Fred shakes his head, eyes widening.

"You are now," the guy says. "I'm Kurt."

.

Fred dances with Kurt all night long. It is the most thrilling night of his life, and Kurt is the _best_ kisser, leaving bruises up and down his neck, and when he invites Fred home, Fred screams over the music, "Yes!"

.

Kurt's apartment is as amazing as Kurt is, and Kurt pulls him onto the bed, and it's all so _amazing_ -

And then Kurt's boyfriend comes home.

.

Fred has never sobered up so quickly. Kurt stays stretched out on the bed, pale skin on display, and Fred stands poised to run, but the boyfriend is between him and the door, and the boyfriend says, "Kurt, what's this?"

"I didn't know he had a boyfriend!" Fred says, and he shouldn't be so frightened, because he's taller than the guy, and broader than the guy, but the guy is _terrifying_.

"He's a present, sweetie," Kurt says, sounding so _sweet_ Fred has to look back at him in disbelief, because, really, what the fuck? "You've been working so hard. I know you're starting to get antsy."

"Kurt," the guy says, voice a bit thick. "You're the best ever."

Fred feels his heart stop, because something about that is _wrong_. "What – " he starts, and then, "I want to leave now."

Kurt laughs, cold and sharp, and then he's plastered to Fred's back and pulling him back onto the bed.

.

The worst of it is, Fred does enjoy it, eventually.

Up until the boyfriend (_Blaine_, Kurt had moaned, _Blaine, Blaine, all for you, all of it_) wraps his hands around Fred's neck.

"Please," Fred begs, "Please, please, no, please – "

Kurt strokes his lips, tracing his last words, and –

.

("Babe," Blaine says, "Kurt, that was – I love you so much."

Kurt chuckles against his lips, carelessly shoving the body to the side so he can crawl up Blaine and push him down. "I could tell you needed it, love. You shouldn't put it off for so long next time. You'll get sloppy again."

"I know," Blaine groans, kicking the body completely off the bed so he can flip Kurt over. "I just – I've been so busy."

"Don't worry," Kurt orders, pausing so he can look Blaine in the eyes and make sure he understands. "Focus on your studies. I'll take care of everything else."

"You shouldn't have to," Blaine says.

"But I will," Kurt says simply. "It's one of the rules. So stop worrying."

"I'll try," Blaine promises, and then he kisses Kurt gently, slowly, like Kurt is that boy he first met, what feels like forever ago.

Kurt always gives him whatever he needs, so Blaine swears to himself to make the next one absolutely extraordinary for Kurt.)


	13. The Rules

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron; lyrics from Florence and the Machine

Warnings: talk about murdering

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 735

Point of view: third

* * *

"There need to be some rules," Kurt said, "if we're really going to do this."

Blaine settled across from him, linked their fingers on the table, and nodded.

"First," Kurt said, "no touching anyone else except for a game."

"Of course," Blaine agreed. He didn't ever want to touch anyone but Kurt, _ever_.

Kurt squeezed his fingers and added, "No kissing anyone else on the mouth, even for a game."

"I promise," Blaine said. He never wanted to kiss anybody but Kurt, ever again. He hadn't, since that day on the stairs.

Smiling, Kurt stroked his thumb along Blaine's. "Unless it's a gift, we tell each other, every time. Nothing impulsive."

Blaine chuckled. Kurt got off on the planning part, and Blaine was fine with not getting bogged down in the details. "You want that part?" he asked.

Kurt nodded, smile softening. "Can I choose?" He lowered his gaze, looking up at Blaine through his lashes.

"Of course," Blaine said again. "You've been choosing, ever since Karofsky."

"Really?" Kurt perked up, lifting his head. "I had thought – but I wasn't sure."

Blaine smiled at him. "All of them were for you."

"Oh," Kurt gasped. "Blaine, you say you're terrible at romance, but you're _not_." He laughed in delight, leaning down to kiss Blaine's knuckles, one after the other.

Blaine decided that the rest of the rules could wait for awhile, so he stood and walked around the table without letting go of Kurt's hand.

.

It was a few days before Blaine asked, "Are there more rules?"

"Hmm?" Kurt looked up from the spaghetti sauce, turning the oregano upright so none slipped in while he focused on Blaine. "What was that, sweetie?"

"The first four rules are no touching, no kissing, telling each other, and you choose. Anything else?" Blaine slipped in behind Kurt, setting the butter on the counter next to the spices, and hooked his chin on Kurt's shoulder.

"Oh, no, that's it," Kurt said, rubbing his cheek against Blaine's and tilting the oregano back down.

"So…" Blaine whispered, wrapping his arms around Kurt's waist. "Can we play again soon? I haven't since Sebastian." He plucked at Kurt's shirt, sliding his fingers between the fabric and Kurt's skin, and Kurt barely got the oregano away from the pot before it spilled.

Kurt heaved a great sigh, turning in Blaine's grip to frown down at him. "I'm trying to cook," he said imperiously.

"And?" Blaine grinned widely, reaching around Kurt to fumble with the stove controls.

"Blaine," Kurt said, in his _I'm really not kidding_ tone.

Blaine quickly stepped back, hands at his sides. "Sorry," he apologized.

"It's alright," Kurt assured him, turning back to the spaghetti sauce. "Today was – well, it was a day, which is all that can be said about it. I just need to unwind."

Blaine pressed a swift kiss to the back of his neck and said, "I'll set up your bath supplies for after dinner."

"Thank you," Kurt told him. "We can discuss our first time later tonight."

Blaine paused in the doorway of the kitchen, glancing back at him. Kurt was smiling down at the sauce, and then he sang softly, "I took a knife and cut out her eye; I took it home and watched it wither and die."

Blaine laughed, countering with, "And we won't eat and we won't sleep; we'll drag bodies from a ground," as he walked to their tiny bathroom. It had a tub, which was why Kurt agreed to pay an exorbitant amount for the space.

Their first time… their _second_ first time. Blaine could show Kurt _everything_, could watch him, see what he liked and what he didn't, what made him gasp _that_ gasp, and, _oh_.

Their first kill together. It might even be better than sex.

It would have to be absolutely _perfect_. It would have to show Kurt how amazing it was, that waiting was _so_ worth it, because Blaine had already made all the stupid mistakes, had already figured out what worked and what didn't.

From the kitchen, Blaine heard Kurt's voice rise on, "Say my name as every color illuminates. We are shining and we will never be afraid again." Blaine joined in, repeating it all the way back to the kitchen, where Kurt smiled at him.

Not totally unwound yet. But the bathroom was all set up, and dinner was almost done, and then – then, they would _plan_.


	14. Cooking

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: fluff

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 325

Point of view: third

Prompt: any, any, burned dinner-again

* * *

Sometimes, when Blaine gets home before Kurt, he tries to cook dinner. Nothing elaborate because he somehow manages to burn _water _most of the time, but simple things. Like spaghetti. How hard it is to throw tomato sauce into a pot with some spices?

Apparently, harder than he'd ever thought, because it burns. Badly.

Kurt's been having a hard time at work (none of his minions are up to par, and Anna vetoed something that had been Kurt's idea, and now Kurt is sure he'll be fired soon, and the last casting director he auditioned for called him a _caricature_, so that bastard is going to be Blaine's next birthday present for Kurt) so Blaine just wants to do something nice for him.

But he's pretty sure Kurt won't be happy if he comes home to find the kitchen on fire, so Blaine turns the stove off and drops the pot, scorched tomato and all, into the sink, then orders Chinese. It should get there right before Kurt.

Blaine cleans up the kitchen and glares at the pot before dumping the mess down the sink and soaking it. He sets the Chinese food on the table with Kurt's second-favorite dishes and two caffeine-free Diet Cokes.

Kurt walks in the door and laughs. "You tried to cook, didn't you?"

Blaine pouts at him but Kurt just saunters over and pulls Blaine into his arms, burying his face in the Blaine's collarbone. "Today was a day," Kurt mumbles into his skin. "I want to _massacre_ them, Blaine. Just… painfully. _Bloodily_."

"My first class is cancelled next Monday," Blaine tells him. He can feel Kurt's smile, and then Kurt nuzzles Blaine's shirt down and kisses his skin. "Go change into something comfortable," Blaine says, rubbing his hand along Kurt's spine. "Dinner's waiting. We'll discuss things over that."

Kurt straightens up and smiles at him, dropping a sweet kiss on the tip of his nose before heading towards their room.


	15. Finn

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; Finn/Rachel; Finn/OFC

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 870

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any/any, come dine with me ;-)

* * *

On their first double date with Kurt and Blaine, Rachel and Finn talked about how awesome McKinley was, and how Kurt should transfer back ASAP because Nationals was in New York that year, and they all missed him, and it wasn't like Karofsky was still there douching the place up.

Kurt kept his head down and stayed quiet. Blaine interrupted Rachel's spiel about all the solos Kurt would be given if he came back. "Thank you for the lovely time," Blaine said politely. "We'll be leaving now." He stood up and Kurt followed him, still avoiding Finn's eyes, and Blaine took his hand and led him out.

Rachel said, "What? Finn, what just happened?"

Finn didn't know.

.

On their second double date with Kurt and Blaine, Finn tried to steer the conversation away from glee club, Nationals, or McKinley. Rachel made it hard, though.

But Kurt actually got involved in the conversation this time, and he told Rachel, "You really should let me give you a makeover. You have so much potential."

Rachel said, "If you come back, you can make me over as many times as you want!"

Kurt's lips tightened. Finn said, too loudly, "So, Blaine – how 'bout them Buckeyes, huh?"

Blaine gave him the tiniest of smiles, but the conversation turned, and Rachel pouted for a few minutes before jumping in to ask if they thought she should write a sports-themed musical for her inevitable debut.

.

On their third double date with Kurt and Blaine, it was quite obvious Kurt would never be returning to McKinley. Junior year was almost up and he was top of the class at Dalton, where he and his boyfriend were two of the most popular boys in school. Why would he go back to McKinley?

But Rachel (and Mercedes, to a lesser degree), kept hounding Finn about it. About Kurt. Talking about how Blaine was controlling, and Kurt wouldn't ignore them if it wasn't for him, and Kurt was too quiet, too wrapped up in Blaine.

To an _unhealthy degree_, Rachel said, looking up at Finn with earnest eyes.

But on their date, Kurt was sparkling. Finn hadn't seen him so happy since before Dalton. Or… ever, actually. He stared at Kurt and almost didn't recognize him.

Kurt had grown up, somewhere between the duet competition and now.

Dalton was good for him. _Blaine _was good for him. Finn had no idea what Rachel was talking about.

.

Blaine and Kurt took turns at each other's houses over the summer. They'd head out early in the morning and spend a day or two together, then switch. Burt wasn't happy about it, but he'd watched them together, too, and realized that Kurt lit up when Blaine was around.

Rachel didn't really acknowledge Kurt anymore. Kurt didn't seem too broken up about it, but Finn saw Blaine _glare _at her, once. It was the only mean expression he could remember Blaine ever making.

.

During senior year, Finn finally realized what Rachel had been saying, about being too close and unhealthy relationships. He watched Kurt and Blaine, whenever they were at the house, or whenever Burt took them all out, Mom and Finn and Kurt&Blaine and Rachel.

That was the thing - _Kurt&Blaine_. They were always together. Except when Kurt worked at the garage… except those times Blaine showed up, just to be near. Kurt worked Saturday s, eight to three, and usually Blaine showed up.

Rachel never visited Finn at work just to see him.

And Kurt and Blaine never argued. Never got in fights. Never even disagreed, far as Finn could tell. How did that even work?

He asked Burt about it, but Burt was just so happy Kurt was happy. He had no idea what Finn as talking about. And Mom just said that it'd pass; first loves always did. Besides, she liked Blaine far more than she ever did Quinn or Rachel, Finn could tell.

He talked to Rachel about it, and it caused a fight that resulted in them breaking up for good.

.

Only once did Finn raise his concerns to Kurt. Kurt just looked at him, long and hard and cold, and he said, "Blaine is _mine_, Finn. Don't get in the way."

Finn nodded, heart racing, and he had no idea why.

.

Blaine was good for Kurt. He made Kurt smile and laugh and dance ridiculously around the house, singing. Burt and Mom both adored him.

One night, while Blaine and Kurt were up in Kurt's room discussing something (either music or a history project or both or maybe something else entirely), Burt told Finn, "That boy saved Kurt's life, you know."

Finn looked at the stairs. He didn't really believe that, and he didn't really like Blaine anymore. But he loved Kurt. Kurt was his brother. And Kurt loved Blaine.

.

On their first double date with Kurt and Blaine, Finn held Emily's hand the whole time, and shared conspiratory eye rolls with Blaine while Kurt and Emily argued about costuming for some play Finn has never heard of.

Kurt&Blaine were the real deal. And Blaine wasn't such a bad guy. Finn didn't remember what he didn't like about Blaine, back in high-school.

Maybe Finn was just finally growing up.


	16. Second

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: pre-series; murder; creepy as all get-out

Pairings: none

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 100

Point of view: third

Prompt: any, any, the mistake they don't regret

* * *

The first was not an accident. The second was.

She'd been the younger sister of one of Blaine's 'Dalton friends,' an adorable little cherub of twelve, and Blaine hadn't meant to lead her into the woods. She followed him.

She followed him and found where he'd buried the first body, and she stared in horror, and Blaine had asked, "Does Martin know where you are?"

Because Martin was at home, and he thought Blaine had gone home, and Caroline – well, she'd found the boneyard.

"N-no," she'd stuttered, eyes wide, curls blonde and bright. He smiled at her.

Blaine was fourteen.


	17. Mask

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; mentions of murders and bullying

Pairings: none

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 215

Point of view: third

Prompt: author's choice, author's choice, Tell me now if you came sneaking up behind / Would you know me and see behind the smile / I can change like colors on a wall / Hoping no one else will find what lies beneath it all / I think I hide it all so well (Dixie Chicks, "Everybody Knows")

* * *

Blaine didn't know, that first time he met Kurt. Blaine had no idea at all. Kurt was beaten down, almost broken, fragile and quiet and still. Hesitant, wary, trying to hide. He didn't assert himself, he didn't stand in the light. He followed in Blaine's wake, head tucked down, arms wrapped around himself, agreeing to anything anyone said.

Kurt stared at Blaine like Blaine was the sun and he was starved of warmth. Like Blaine could save him, heal him, return him to life. Kurt stayed as close to Blaine as he could, whispered to Blaine all of his fears, his concerns, his secrets.

Kurt hand-delivered Blaine eight playmates, and Blaine thought Kurt was completely unaware.

Instead… instead, Kurt was already taking care of Blaine. Giving him what he needed. Showing Blaine his soft underbelly and knowing that Blaine would nuzzle in close and shield him, not strike.

Blaine had no idea at all that Kurt was exactly what he needed. What he'd been waiting for.

And when Kurt tells him, "I know, Blaine," Blaine stares down at him, and he thinks, _Oh, there you are. I've been looking for you forever_. And when Kurt tells him what he's imagined of their future, Blaine thinks, _You're mine… I'll never let you go_.


	18. Puck

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov; bullying; mentions of sexual assault

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; unrequited Puck/Kurt and Karofsky/Kurt; Zizes/Puck

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 635

Point of view: third

Prompt: Glee, Puck/Kurt, leave me breathless

* * *

Puck didn't realize what he'd had till it was gone. He'd looked forward to seeing Hummel every day and didn't even know it till Kurt was gone, away with the Garglers in fuckin' _Westerville._ And the worst of it was that it was his own damned fault.

He told Kurt to go spy, Kurt did, and then Kurt left. Because _Puck _fell down on his job and let fuckin' Karofsky hassle Kurt.

Worse than hassle. But Kurt didn't tell anyone except that lead Gargler.

And, really, why should Puck have expected otherwise? What indication did he ever give that he might, well, have -

Okay, Puck had a fucking _crush _on Hummel. And he should have kicked Karofsky's teeth in or something, to let Hummel know he was wanted.

But he didn't. He didn't even notice that things were getting weird between Karofsky and Hummel, until Coach Bieste found them in the showers.

Karofsky was suspended, pending expulsion, and then ran away. And Kurt stuck it out for a couple weeks, but he didn't come back after Christmas break.

.

Puck hangs out at Finn's house, as often as he can, but Kurt's rarely there. And even when he is, so is that pretty boy Gargler, all smarmy and rich. Puck wants to kick his ass, he really does, but Kurt actually i_likes/i_the fucker. Finn even told Puck once, that he'd forgotten how much Kurt used to smile. He hadn't noticed (no one had) when Kurt stopped, but for the Garlger... Kurt smiles. Kurt laughs.

Maybe Puck's growing as a person, but he's glad Kurt's happy. He misses Kurt, misses touching him (_fucked up_, Zizes says, _bullying a kid just to be able to put your hands on him, Puckerman_), misses being the center of his world for those brief moments -

But it's been over a year since he tossed Kurt into the dumpster. Or locker-checked him, or threw a slushy in his face. Seeing him at glee was better than all of those.

He's gone now, locked safely away at Dalton. Happier than he ever was at McKinley.

Puck had his chance. Two and a half years with Kurt and he wasted all that time, stealing brief touches that Kurt only ever saw as abuse.

What Karofsky did.

For all Puck knows, he's shoved into the same category as _Karofsky_, and that -

It's too late. If he ever had a shot, it's gone now, with Kurt at Dalton, staring into that pretty boy, rich kid's eyes.

.

When Kurt comes home for the summer, he brings his boyfriend with him.

Finn had told Puck about his worries, their senior year, but Puck told him he was freaking out over nothing, because the Gargler was good for Kurt.

They're still wildly in love, Puck can see, and he's glad for that.

He knows he was never good enough for Kurt. Never enough in any capacity. And he's been lucky enough for Mr. H to take a chance on, giving him an opportunity at the shop, and one day he'll make manager.

Puck's never getting out of Lima. He's fine with that now, all grown up and seeing the world for what it is. His dad left and remained a loser. Mr. H stayed and he's the best man Puck's ever met.

.

Kurt smiles at Puck, when he drops off Mr. H's lunch. The Gargler is with him, holding Kurt's hand in the safety of the shop.

Puck smiles back. Yeah, he used to have a crush, and yeah, he'll probably always regret not making a move. He will definitely regret not kicking the shit out of Karofsky before things got so bad.

But the way things have turned out... life's good, for Puck. He's happy, and Kurt's happy. Doesn't get much better than that.


	19. Burt

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov; mentions of sexual assault and bullying

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; Burt/Carole

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 650

Point of view: third

Prompt: Glee, Burt & Kurt, Coping With Loss

* * *

Burt loves Finn, he really does, but not like he loves his own son. He looks at Finn and sees the boy he himself used to be, back when he was young and dumb and thought he ruled the world. But he looks at Kurt and he sees the best thing in his life, bright and brilliant and beautiful.

He always knew Kurt would be leaving one day. Kurt had dreams from one ocean to the other, and he hated Lima – Burt had thought, more than once, about packing up and moving, taking Kurt somewhere that was better for him. But he never got around to it, and then the whole thing with Karofsky –

Burt held Kurt's hand at the hospital and called himself every name under the sun for not moving when he could have, and the only person Kurt asked for by name was some kid from Dalton Academy out in Westerville.

Burt wasn't surprised at all when Kurt asked, quietly one night, head ducked down and ashamed, if he could please leave McKinley. The way Burt saw it, Kurt was the only person in the whole situation who shouldn't be ashamed.

Of course Burt sent Kurt to Dalton. Even when the budget got tight, and he stared at the chair where Kurt would normally be sitting at dinner, and he didn't hear Kurt serenading the house every morning – Kurt was safe. Kurt was happy.

And now Kurt's in New York. Burt only sees him a few times a year because Kurt's off having a life full of fashion and theater and a doctor for a fiancé. Burt's been to the three plays Kurt actually had a part in, and to the first runway show he had some input in, and Blaine's graduation from NYU Steinhardt that will let him call himself _Doctor_ Anderson in a few years.

Kurt is deliriously happy. That's all Burt has ever wanted for his son.

The last time he came home, for a week during June, Burt had asked, "Did you ever wish we had moved? Maybe to California, or Cincinnati, or something. Away from Lima."

Kurt had glanced towards the kitchen, where Blaine was busy throwing together sandwiches for lunch, chatting with Carole about the clinic. "No," Kurt said, smiling. "I met Blaine because we lived _here_." He shrugged, still smiling softly, that so wonderfully _happy_ smile that Burt didn't see for years at a time – not from the beginning of high-school until Dalton. "Blaine makes up for everything that came before him, Dad."

"I'm so glad, Kurt, that you – that you're happy, you know? That's all I ever wanted." Burt had subtly swiped at his eyes, and Kurt had nodded, and Blaine came in with two plates of sandwiches and Carole.

Burt still worries about his boy in New York, about muggers or crazy drivers or even the terrorist plots that seem to happen in every TV show set in the city. But Kurt's a good kid, and tougher than Burt ever really thinks, still seeing the sixteen year old in tears at the ER, bruises on his throat and despair in his eyes.

But Kurt's taller than him now, with two careers in the works and a partner of ten years, and he's happy. He's so damned happy.

"Hey, Boss," Finn calls, poking his head into the office. "Max just called; the delivery's runnin' late – there was an accident on I-75 so the parts'll get here in the morning instead."

"Alright, thanks," Burt tells him. "Don't forget to go see your mom tonight, she's been missin' you."

Finn nods and heads back towards the break room. As he stands, Burt looks at the pictures on his desk: Kurt and Katie, Kurt and Blaine, Kurt and Burt himself, Finn and Carole, Finn and Burt, Finn and Kurt, Carole and Burt, Katie and Burt. A lifetime. Burt smiles and closes his office door behind him.


	20. Dave

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: sexual assault; murder; a bit of gore; homophobia/bullying/violence

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; unrequited and unwanted Karofsky/Kurt

Rating: R

Wordcount: 1040

Point of view: third

Prompt: Glee, Karofsky/Kurt, Kurt didn't push him away when he went in for that second kiss

* * *

What everyone knows is this: Karofsky stepped up the bullying in junior year. Before that, he was pretty equal opportunity, though his favorite was Finn (some sort of trauma or rivalry or something from when they were kids). But junior year, Karofsky focused solely on Kurt, and he was brutal about it. Daily locker-slams (but the dumpster dives tapered off when Puck joined glee and never really caught back on) for the most part, and they intensified as the school year went on.

By November, Kurt had constant bruises that never had the time to heal. By November, he was thoroughly sick of holding his head high and waiting the situation out.

In November, Kurt met Blaine.

.

Blaine's advice is horrible, and Kurt's thankful he wasn't actually a naïve little boy in need because that gently-given advice would've gotten the shit beat out of him.

But he is pissed off, and _tired_, and he follows Karofsky into the locker-room, his rage and frustration causing him to lose control.

And Karofsky grabs his face and kisses him.

Kurt honestly did not see that coming.

Karofsky moves back in, eyes on Kurt's lips, and Kurt shoves him away, mind completely blank. He has no idea what to do, or what to say, and Karofsky punches a locker before leaving.

Kurt follows in a daze, stops to pick up his phone, and calls Blaine.

.

The next day, Blaine helps Kurt ambush Karofsky on the stairs for an 'intervention' that Kurt can tell will only make things worse. But Blaine rubs his back, and the bruises throb in an almost pleasant way beneath his touch, and Kurt lets himself lean in a little too close, because he _wants_ -

There is something about Blaine. Finn was fun to mess with, would've been easy to lead, to control, and if Dad hadn't gotten so serious about Carole, Kurt might've gone that way. But Blaine… Kurt thinks Blaine might be like him.

So he lets Blaine comfort him, take him out to a cozy diner for lunch, and goes back to school only for glee.

.

Two weeks later, Karofsky corners Kurt in the locker-room. Karofsky's already promised to kill him if he tells anyone (which, Kurt has already done, and Karofsky _knows_ that, he _met_ Blaine) and no one has noticed that Karofsky's persecution of Kurt has gone up _another level_, and Kurt has no idea why he hasn't brought Dad's gun to school and made himself feel better.

… because he'd go to jail. Right. That'd be too many bodies to hide. No way to not get caught.

But Karofsky grabs Kurt's wrist, and then reels him in, puts his other hand over Kurt's mouth. Karofsky slams Kurt into the wall, breath hot on Kurt's face, hands bruising Kurt's skin. "Why do you keep - how can you - " Karofsky gasps into his neck.

Kurt's head hurts, ears ringing, and he shoves with his free hand, but Karofsky doesn't budge.

Karofsky drags him to the showers and the hand on Kurt's mouth moves down to his neck and _squeezes_, his hand on Kurt's wrist drops to his pants, and this –

"What the hell?!" Coach Beiste shouts, and Karofsky flinches back, letting go and moving out of reach. Kurt sways on his feet, blinking at Karofsky and then Beiste, and when she moves toward him, he darts around her (almost falling) and runs to the parking lot.

He calls Blaine on the way home, but Blaine's in Warbler practice for another forty-five minutes, so he doesn't answer.

.

Kurt doesn't actually make it down the stairs to his room. Once he's by the couch, he just sort of – falls onto it.

He wants to shower. He wants to scream.

He wants to shove a knife into Karofsky's gut and pull it all the way up to his ribcage, then peel back the skin and watch Karofsky die in agony.

"Kurt!" Dad yells, slamming the door open. "Kurt, answer – Kurt!" He hurries over to the couch and Kurt blinks at him. "Kurt, Finn's football coach just called me – she said one of the players – Kurt?"

When Kurt doesn't move or speak or react in any way, Dad pulls him to his feet, leads him to the car, and drives to the ER.

.

Kurt asks his dad to call Blaine, waiting for the doctor to show up, and then doesn't say anything else for three days.

Later, Kurt will tell Blaine, tearfully, face tucked into Blaine's neck, that if Coach Beiste hadn't walked in, Kurt probably wouldn't have ever told anyone.

Later still, Kurt will tell Blaine every single daydream he had in the subsequent days, and Blaine will promise that they can act some of them out. Not all, of course, because a few were quite physically impossible. But a fair number, just for Kurt.

In-between, Blaine will murmur in perfect detail exactly how Karofsky died.

In a strange coincidence, Blaine shoved a knife in his gut and pulled it all the way up.

.

What everyone knows is this: Dave Karofsky attacked Kurt Hummel in the locker-room. Coach Beiste saw everything, and Dave was suspended. He would've been expelled, but he ran away in early December before the school board could get everything in order.

Kurt took a few days off and then went back to school till Christmas break. Instead of returning in January, he fled to a private academy a couple hours away.

He wasn't all that missed. Karofsky was, though; each team he was on suffered in his absence.

Besides, you ever see what Hummel wore? He was clearly asking for it.

What only two people know is this: where Dave Karofsky is buried.

When his body is found, so are ten others. Eight of the eleven are missing McKinley students, two are boys who vanished from Columbus, and the last is the State's Attorney's son, who everyone had thought ran off to Europe with his grandfather's money. None of them were older than nineteen at their time of death.

"Fuck," Officer Quentin will mutter to his partner, while the coroner talks to the chief. "I think it's a serial killer."

"Yeah," Officer Reilly will mutter back, eyes on the youngest body, Rafe Carleton, all of thirteen when some bastard suffocated him. "Fuck."


	21. Friends

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: Blaine&Kurt aren't mine; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; OCs/OCs

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 600

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any, fuck-marry-kill

* * *

"Okay," Sarah says, "fuck, marry, kill."

Bobby rolls his eyes, sharing a look with Blaine. "Really, Sarah?"

"Well, yeah." She pouts at him and turns to Ana. "You wanna play, don't you?"

Ana laughs. "If Blaine, Marty, and Yasmin agree, I'm in."

Yasmin nods, so Sarah looks at Marty. "Please?" she asks, widening her eyes as much as possible.

"Sure, sure, stop looking at me like that!" he shouts, theatrically covering his eyes. "I can't take it!"

"C'mon, Bobby, it might be fun," Blaine says.

"Fine." Bobby heaves a great sigh and rolls his eyes again. He knows Blaine from his Language Disorders class, but Sarah's been dating his brother since high-school, and Marty's his roommate, and apparently Ana is Sarah's best friend's little sister she promised to look out for, and Ana's almost-dating Yasmin.

So, a long, incesty history between most of them, and poor Blaine just got dragged into it because Bobby wanted someone else sane.

The party's still going strong downstairs, music booming through the floor, and Ana's dancing in place. It's a shame she's got that thing going on with Yasmin; Ana's hot. But Bobby doesn't go after taken chicks, not since that thing with Caitlin. Fuck, but that was a mess.

"Let's limit it just to people playing," Sarah says. "It'll be more fun that way. Marty, go first, then we just follow the circle."

Marty frowns at her, but then looks around the circle, apprising everyone. "Fuck Yasmin," he decides, "'cause she's absolutely gorgeous. Marry Blaine, 'cause from what I've seen he's the most responsible, trustworthy guy here. Kill Bobby so I can inherit his stuff."

"Dude!" Bobby exclaims. "That's completely uncool."

Marty shrugs, but Blaine's laughing, "If I weren't completely happy with Kurt, I'd be delighted to marry you."

Ana's next to Marty, so she says, "Fuck Blaine because _he's_ gorgeous, marry Yasmin, and kill Marty. Just 'cause."

Marty pouts at her, but Yasmin says, "Fuck Sarah, marry Ana, and kill Marty, also 'cause." She shares a grin with Yasmin and Marty throws himself backward, groaning.

Sarah's cackling as she starts. "Fuck Bobby, to see if that thing with the tongue is genetic." Bobby chokes, covering his mouth to keep from throwing up all the beer he drank. That's more than he ever needed to know about his brother's sex life with _Sarah_, God. "Marry Marty," Sarah continues, "and kill… Ana." She peers at Ana for a moment and then nods. "Yes, kill Ana."

"What?" Ana says. "Why?"

Sarah shrugs. "'cause."

Blaine says, "This game is ridiculous, just so you all know. And I'd have to fuck Bobby, marry Marty, and kill Sarah."

Now Sarah demands, "Why?"

"Well, I'm gay. And Bobby looks like he'd be fun in bed, but Marty has kind eyes." Blaine shrugs. "And I just chose you because you're the one who suggested the game."

Blaine nudges Bobby. "You're last. Then we can get out of here."

Bobby sighs. "Fine. Fuck Blaine, marry Yasmin, and kill Sarah."

"This wasn't as much fun as I thought," Sarah grumbles.

Blaine laughs and climbs to his feet. "It's been a blast," he says, "But Kurt's waiting up for me, so I'm going to call it a night."

"Bye, Blaine!" they all chorus, and he heads for the stairs.

"Nice guy," Sarah tells Bobby. "I wish you made more friends like him."

Bobby smirks. "I'm gonna tell Ted that you wanna fuck me."

"No!" she shouts, tackling him. "Don't you dare, Robert Joseph!"

"What the fuck?" Marty demands, rolling out of the way.

Bobby ignores him, laughing so hard his stomach starts to hurt.


	22. New Year

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: boys talking about murder; bad weather

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 285

Point of view: third

Prompt: author's choice, author's choice, ushering in the new year with a night of severe thunderstorms and possibly a blackout

* * *

It's their first New Year's Eve in New York, and it's storming. The power keeps blinking, and the wind is roaring, and Kurt spins Blaine around to the sound of thunder booming and a lightning flash so close it reflects in Kurt's eyes.

"Not quite what you were expecting, right?" Blaine asks, kissing Kurt as the lights blink and don't come back on.

"Damnit," Kurt mutters. "This is ridiculous! Is Mother Nature against us or something?"

Blaine laughs. "Or something, I'm pretty sure." He takes Kurt's hand and carefully leads the way to their bed. "C'mon," he says. "We have plans to make, right? The first was amazing… but I wanna try something new."

"New?" Kurt murmurs, pushing Blaine onto the bed and arranging him to some exact specification Blaine has never really understood, though he enjoys it. "Do tell."

Blaine laughs softly, staying still as Kurt presses down on him. There are lights in the distance, he can see them through the window, but everywhere near is dark. Kurt is lit up by more lightning, pale and beautiful and _all Blaine's_, every inch of him.

"Blaine," Kurt whispers, "tell me your idea," and he nips gently at Blaine's skin.

"Well, get up here and I will," Blaine says. Kurt huffs gently but does, straddling Blaine so that they're face to face. Blaine kisses his way from Kurt's lips to his ear, and then he says, "Two at a time, babe."

Thunder shakes the building around them, and Kurt's eyes shine in the lightning, and he says, _Yes_."

Kurt's phone beeps, and in the morning when he checks it, it'll be a text from his dad and Carole, wishing him a New Year.


	23. Fighting

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; murder; mentions of violence; info from season 3 incorporated

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 730

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any fandom, any character or characters, Saturday night's alright for fighting

* * *

In his second semester at Dalton, Blaine asked an upperclassman, "Hey, is there anywhere to go to let off steam?"

Henry blinked down at him. "Don't you box? I'm pretty sure I saw you at the gym."

Blaine had shrugged and said, "Yeah. But I meant – somewhere, you know. Away from well-meaning adults who don't want us to push ourselves too hard. I need _something_; I'm going crazy, man."

Henry just stared for a moment. Blaine waited patiently. Finally, Henry nodded and told him, "Let me talk to some people."

Three weeks later, on a Saturday night, Dalton had the first meeting of its very first fight club.

.

Blaine had always been good a multitasking. He was a straight A student, studied martial arts and kickboxing, one of the up-and-comers of the fencing team, and the darling of the Warblers.

"Are you sure you're not doing too much?" Mom fretted, but Blaine saw the well-hidden relief on her face. She _wanted_ him busy, focused on a hundred-and-one things so he wouldn't focus on what really frightened her.

"I'll be fine, Mom," he promised, kissing her cheek and heading for the car. It was time to go back; he had a major Italian test the next morning, and it was almost curfew.

"Get us the Warbler schedule," Dad told him when he dropped Blaine off. "We look forward to seeing you perform."

For his mother's sake, Blaine thought, staring in the mirror and pressing at a bruise on his abdomen, it was best she never found out he wasn't quite busy enough.

.

Blaine learned a lot from his coaches and trainers. He learned more from fight club.

But he'd had none of those lessons when he met Rafe Carleton at the movies. Blaine was with a few of the Warblers – Wes, David, Jon, Nick, their 'chaperone' Xavier, the only senior present – and Rafe was a Westerville townie trying to escape his uncool parents. He'd been dragged to see _Four Christmases_ and was hanging out in the hall by the bathroom instead of going back into the theater.

It wasn't planned. Blaine just saw him, this gangly boy with a miserable expression, and he _wanted_. He caught the boy's eye and smiled at him, and the boy perked up, so Blaine told Wes he'd be right back and sauntered over.

It was easy. So easy. Blaine was too smart to disappear with him right then, but they made plans for later that night, and Rafe promised to keep it a secret because Blaine was on a tight leash because of the uptight boys in charge, and it was _so easy_. Like it was fated or something.

Blaine left him with a smile and returned to the Warblers, sat through _The Day the Earth Stood Still_, and plotted out the best way to do it.

It never once occurred to him to just _not_ do it.

.

Rafe met Blaine at a park midway between Dalton and his house. "I've never done anything like this before!" Rafe told him breathlessly, gazing around at the playground equipment that looked so creepy in the dark.

Blaine was too excited to wait. He pounced the minute Rafe turned his back.

He hadn't actually decided which method to use: the knife in a sheath on his back, or strangling, or bashing Rafe's head in with a rock.

He ended up using all three.

.

Blaine made it back to Dalton in time to wash his hands and face, change his clothes, and get to his first class.

He looked around at the laughing, smiling boys, and wondered how each of them would fare, staring death in the eyes.

Realizing that he needed an outlet or else he'd do something stupid like killing on Dalton property, he spent Christmas break thinking up possibilities.

The first week back, he planted the seeds of fight club into Henry Tyles' mind.

.

Until he met Kurt, Blaine was completely in control. He'd only killed three times, and of those three, only two were planned.

Kurt drove him wild. Kurt gave him so _many_ playmates, and Blaine _had_ to - it was fate. Out of all the boys to stop on the stairs, out of everyone to confide in, out of everyone to look at with such wide, trusting eyes…

It was fate. Blaine's count quadrupled because of Kurt, and he never looked back.


	24. Forever

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: talk of homicide/suicide

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 585

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any; Any; Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead

* * *

"What happens," Kurt whispers in the dark, "if we get caught?"

Blaine's arms tighten around him. "We won't," he promises.

That's an easy promise to make in the middle of the night, but he knows Kurt's mind is whirling with every possibility, and in light of day, it's not as easy to keep as make.

.

Kurt knows where all the bodies are. Blaine knows every name on the list.

Kurt planned out most of the games in New York. Blaine played most of them.

If Kurt ever grows bored or tries to leave, Blaine will kill him. If Blaine ever tries to court someone else, Kurt will kill both of them (or, more likely, all three of them).

Blaine can't imagine wanting anyone else the way he wants Kurt. He knows that no one else could ever give Kurt what he needs.

.

"Blaine," Kurt says when Blaine steps out of the bathroom in the morning, hair dripping from the shower, towel wrapped around his waist. "We need to talk about this."

It was easier in Ohio. When he was taking care of things for Kurt, and thought Kurt didn't know.

It was easier – but it wasn't as much fun.

"I decided a long time ago," Blaine says, "when Rafe's blood was still sticky on my hands, that if it ever seemed like the cops were getting close, I'd kill myself." He shrugs. "I'm never goin' to prison, Kurt."

"What did you decide about me?" Kurt asks after a moment, eyes bright. Blaine chuckles because Kurt's _excited_. Blaine almost thinks he wants to get caught, but he knows Kurt better than that.

"You, before me," he admits, letting the towel drop and kneeling on the edge of the bed. "Quick, and clean. It wouldn't hurt. Together forever, remember?"

Kurt nods, rising to his knees and meeting Blaine in the middle of the bed.

Neither of them makes it to class that morning.

.

"And if they catch us before we know they're after us?" Kurt asks, weeks later, but Blaine knows exactly what he means.

"Do you want me to take the blame?" Blaine says, staring up at him. Kurt's still dressed for class, clothes comfortable and stylish instead of just stylish. His hair looks so soft, his lips so kissable.

Blaine thinks he _would_ let everything fall onto him if it kept Kurt out of a cage.

"… no," Kurt says quietly after a moment. "Because it's not just you. I'm an equal part in this."

Blaine knows that he's impulsive. Doesn't plan things out as carefully as he could.

Everything went a little too well back in Ohio, and knowing that Kurt knew all the while – Kurt must've cleaned up after him a couple times.

"I won't let you go to prison," Blaine swears, reaching for Kurt.

One way or another, Kurt will never be locked away.

.

Kurt knows where all the bodies are buried, and who was found. Blaine knows every name on the list, everything Kurt has tried and wants to in the future.

If it looks likes everything is about to go up in flames, Blaine will kill them both.

If they're taken by surprise, Kurt will keep Blaine safe.

.

But they're only twenty. They have their whole lives ahead of them, and so much planned, and they're in New York, the city of their dreams.

They're only twenty, and together they're responsible for eighteen deaths.

They're only twenty, and they know they'll live forever, and they know they'll always be free.


	25. Mother

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov; bad things happening to animals

Pairings: Blaine's mom/Blaine's Dad; Cooper/OFC; Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 750

Point of view: third

* * *

When Blaine was three, he caught a butterfly. He was at pre-K and it was a Tuesday and Maria will never forget the phone call his horrified teacher gave her.

Blaine had no idea what the big deal was. A month later he caught a spider.

.

When Blaine was five, Cooper was watching him while Maria and Ethan went on a date. Cooper was on the phone with Emma, his girlfriend-of-the-week, and Blaine wandered into the backyard.

Maria and Ethan walked in the door laughing, only to freeze when they saw Cooper huddled on the couch, looking pale and sick. "Cooper?" Maria called, hurrying over. "Are you okay, baby? What's wrong?"

"I can't – Mama, there's something wrong with him, and I _can't_ – " Cooper said, pressing into her arms.

Somehow, Blaine had caught a baby squirrel. Ethan dealt with the remains. Maria sat Blaine down for a long talk about good and bad little boys, and he listened with wide eyes, and a week later, the next-door neighbor's cat went missing.

He was _five_. He couldn't have. Maria shook her head and refused to believe.

.

When Blaine was eight, Maria sat him down for another long talk. Ethan had spent hours telling him about right and wrong. Blaine was so charming, so adorable. His teachers loved him; he was popular with the students.

Cooper told Maria, "Mom, all he's done is learn how to not get caught." He still refused to babysit, and he was about to leave for college, and Maria had no idea what to do. What she'd done wrong.

Her little boy was a monster and she didn't know _why_.

.

The Walkers' beagle vanished in August. She found the dog's collar in Blaine's dresser, and when she confronted him, her eight-year-old darling, her _baby_, swore he'd be good.

She never found trophies again, but pets kept disappearing. Soon enough, even though he was popular, a few kids pulled away. Always kept their eyes on Blaine during school trips and parties. Amy Fairton's mother tried to subtly ask if Blaine would be sent away somewhere, and Maria wanted to lash out at her, wanted to make her _hurt_ - and that frightened her.

Maybe there was something wrong with _her_, and that's why Blaine was the way he was. Ethan assured her it wasn't, but she wondered.

Elementary turned into middle school and Blaine became ever better at hiding in plain sight, and Maria knew she needed to get him help, but she didn't know what was wrong. Middle school became Dalton, and Dalton brought Kurt.

.

Maria had thought Blaine was doing better. She read the paper every morning and nothing jumped out. Blaine was busy with fencing and singing and boxing and classes; he didn't have time to search out animals to hurt. (Didn't have time to upgrade to people.)

And then a whole bunch of boys ran away from Lima, and Maria had no idea how Blaine could be involved, or why he _would_ be, but Kurt was from Lima, and Kurt's father gushed to Maria and Ethan about how Blaine had saved his son's life, and Maria wanted to like Kurt, she really did, but she looked at him and saw Blaine looking back.

Blaine, all of three years old, with butterfly wings crushed in his hands.

Maria wanted to cry, smiling at her son and his best friend. At her son and his boyfriend. At her son and his fiancé. At her son and his husband.

All she will ever know for sure is that Blaine used to torture animals to death.

And she loves him. He's her baby boy.

Her baby boy is a monster, and she greets him with a hug and a kiss every time he visits, and Kurt is so charming, so kind, so wonderful for Blaine.

The night Kurt and Blaine leave to return to New York, Maria buries her face in Ethan's shoulder and sobs, and she can feel him crying, too.

She has no idea what she did wrong, and she has no proof, and she loves her son.

So she pulls back from Ethan, wipes her eyes, and tells him, "Our younger son is a good man."

Ethan doesn't argue. Maria goes up the stairs, and then into the attic, and to the corner where there's an old wooden box and a faded dog collar. She holds it for a long time and then lets it fall back into the box.

What's done is done, and she loves her son.


	26. Photos

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov; implied murder

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; mentions of Kurt/OMC and Blaine/OMC

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 480

Point of view: third

Prompt: Author's choice; author's choice; "If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees." (Khalil Gibran)

* * *

Ilina sees them for the first time at the park. They're wrapped up in each other and discussing some game, and they're gorgeous, so she takes a picture.

She sees them at the bar closest to her apartment next, and they're dancing with different men, and they leave at separate times (not that she was watching them, of course not, that'd be creepy. They are _so_ gorgeous, though).

On Tuesday, a young woman knocks on Ilina's door and she's holding a picture of the boy the taller gorgeous guy was dancing with. Ilina tells her that she saw him leave with someone, but that's all she remembers.

After she closes the door, she picks up her camera and cycles through the photo album until she sees the two men, wrapped up in each other and smiling.

.

She goes back to the park and there they are, sitting together on a bench. She takes another picture.

Later that night, someone knocks on the door. She looks through the peephole and it's the taller one, the one who left with Alex Graham, whose sister came looking for him yesterday.

She grabs her phone and holds her finger just above the speed-dial for 911, and then she answers the door. "Can I help you?" she asks.

"Hello, ma'am," he says. "Forgive me for intruding, but I saw you at the park this afternoon. You took a picture of me and my boyfriend, and I'd like to know why."

Ilina shrugs. "I'm working on a project, _The Faces of New York_, and the two of you are very attractive. You looked so happy." She licks her lips and then asks, "How did you find me?"

He smiles. "Blaine ran to a cart for a _hot dog_ and I followed you."

And that's… creepy as hell. Her finger hovers over 3 and she watches him for a long moment, his grey-blue eyes, his angular face, and she forces out, "I'm sorry about the picture, but please leave."

"I've seen you a couple different places recently, miss," he says. "I have to assume you saw me."

Alex Graham left with him and his sister hasn't seen him since. He followed Ilina home.

She presses the 3 and he pushes his way in; before the call connects, her phone is out of her hand.

.

Kurt doesn't tell Blaine about the occupant of 5A and her fatal photo habit. He deletes the last memory card on her camera and tosses into the drawer where she keeps them all.

Ilina's neighbor Greg knocks on the door to borrow advil and she doesn't answer, but the door is unlocked and he knows she should be home.

Something struck her head and she bled out in her brain. Nothing is missing, so it's declared accidental: she fell and hit her head on the table on the way down.

Just a tragic accident.


	27. McKinley

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov; takes place during season 2 – 3; AU

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, Santana/Brittany

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 660

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any, "We dance round in a ring and suppose, While the secret sits in the middle and knows." ~Robert Frost

Note: The only thing I know about hockey is that it's played on ice. I Wikipediad some things. If it's wrong, I apologize.

* * *

The first few weeks after Christmas are weird. No one really knows what to do or say; the whole Kurt and Karofsky incident had shocked them all, had frightened them – Kurt had nearly shattered right in front of their eyes and _none of them noticed_. And that is unacceptable.

Rachel leads New Directions in a pledge to stamp out bullying. Within a month, things are back to normal.

.

After Karofsky runs away, rumors spiral out of control. The fact that he actually had a crush on Kurt is common knowledge, and people say that he did everything from just shoving Kurt too hard to raping him in the shower. Nobody is sure what _actually_ happened, but Tina's glad that Kurt's not there to hear it all.

In February, Rick the Stick runs away, taking all the cash in his house, his laptop, and his car. The car is left at the bus station, tank completely empty. Everyone knew he'd wanted to see the Stanley Cup Finals in person, but it seemed sort of sudden. He hadn't talked to anyone about it at all.

The only thing the glee club notices is that slushie facials slow down for a few days.

.

If asked, Finn provides updates about Kurt. Mercedes and Rachel complain about his boyfriend for awhile, but eventually it's _out of sight, out of mind_.

It's not until Daniel Saunders runs away right before he would have graduated that Santana realizes what all three of the 'missing' boys had in common: they were the loudest, cruelest bullies. And their favorite target, across the board, was Kurt.

.

During the summer, the police talk to every (current) student at McKinley because four boys run away before school starts up again. The situation is actually starting to worry some people, but there's never any evidence of a struggle or violence, and plenty of evidence that they walked away.

Santana has no idea how Hummel could possibly be doing it, but she's not surprised that he is.

"Sharks are vicious," Brittany tells her one night, "especially the gay ones."

"Yeah," Santana agrees, pulling her back down onto the bed.

.

Senior year starts quietly; the worst bullies all left during the summer. The football and hockey teams suffer a little, but the glee club membership swells. Finn and Sam are the most popular boys in school because the rest all disappeared.

Rachel ignores that Kurt had ever been in New Directions, and Finn asks Tina if she thinks Blaine is a bad influence on Kurt. Tina laughs and says that Blaine's a delight.

.

One more boy runs away before graduation. Santana flips through McKinley's sophomore yearbook to be sure, but she was right: each and every one of them had made Hummel's life a living hell. She's not sorry to see any of them vanish; Isley tried to rape Britt once, and Frankston was an absolute bastard.

She thinks about bringing it up with Coach Sylvester, but instead closes the yearbook and files it back with the rest.

.

Kurt attends graduation; it's the day after Dalton's. He brings Blaine with him. Santana watches them, and when Blaine meets her eyes and smirks, she realizes she'd had it wrong.

Yeah, Kurt had probably told Blaine who, but he definitely wasn't doing it alone.

Brittany drags Santana over to them, and she says, "There's oceans of blood in the water."

Kurt smiles at her and asks, "What's that, Britt?" but he's not fooling Santana, even if the rest of the world is blind.

.

It's years before Santana hears about the dumping ground some poor hiker found. As the identities are revealed, one by agonizing one, and Ohio reels in the knowledge that some horrific serial killer had targeted kids, Santana thinks about Kurt Hummel and his boy-toy – what was his name? Brian, Blair, Blaine – and wonders what ever happened to them.

Santana knows one thing for certain: she's glad she never let on she knew.


	28. Jacob

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov; takes place during season 2 – 3; AU

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 260

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any/any,

Red - the blood of angry men!  
Black - the dark of ages past!  
Red - a world about to dawn!  
Black - the night that ends at last!  
(Les Miserables)

* * *

_blood_

"Holy shit," Jacob mutters, flipping through the yearbook. Eight boys, all who 'ran away' and had been the worst of the bullies. Eight boys no one, except their families and teams, are mourning.

Eight boys, starting with Karofsky, who did something horrible to Hummel.

Hummel, who conveniently enough, left McKinley right around the same time as Karofsky.

Hummel, who no one would ever expect.

"How the fuck is he doing it?" Jacob murmurs, looking from Hummel's picture to Karofsky's, and Adams', and all the rest. Hummel's a tiny little thing.

Of course. He can't be doing it alone.

_dark_

Jacob compiles all the evidence he can, all his suspicions, all the coincidences, everything that is too odd or neat to be accidental.

Once he has it all together, he has to decide what to do. Go to the police? He should. That's what everybody would tell him to do.

(Every body, too. He chuckles at the pun, then winces 'cause it's not funny. Except that it is.)

But the police would keep the credit. No one would ever know Jacob ben Israel is the actual finder of a horrific serial killer in the making.

Eight victims in under two years. And that's only if Karofsky is the first. Jacob has no way of knowing who else Hummel might have killed.

Graduation is in three days. Jacob hides everything and resolves to think about it.

_dawn_

Hummel is at graduation, holding hands with that pretty boy of his, and Jacob watches them nervously.

If he's right… Hummel's killed more than a lot of the worst men in prison, and Jacob can't figure out _how_. Even if he's not alone, it's obvious he's picking the victims.

The boyfriend leans in to whisper something, and Hummel laughs.

The boyfriend. But he's even smaller than Hummel.

Jacob darts another glance at them, and Hummel is looking right at him.

Oh, shit. Jacob quickly turns away, heart hammering, and he has to go to the police.

… but why would they believe him? They talked to everyone last summer, and too many coincidences, and –

So what if all the victims so far are douchebags? It's not gonna stop there. That's what all of Jacob's research said: serial killers only stop if they're caught or killed. Nothing else works.

"Jacob ben Israel, right?" a pleasant and jovial voice comes from behind him, and Jacob _knows_.

He inhales, turns, and nods to the boyfriend. "That's right," he says, trying to smile.

"I'm Blaine," the boyfriend says, offering his hand.

As Jacob barely shakes his hand, Blaine adds, "I visited your website, not long after Kurt came to Dalton. All that evidence… you could've taken it to the schoolboard, done something about the bullying. Why didn't you?"

Jacob shrugs. Honestly, it had never occurred him.

"Blaine!" Hummel calls from the New Directions' huddle.

Blaine nods to Jacob and leaves him without another word.

Exhaling sharply, Jacob flees the other way.

_night_

Theories, speculation, coincidences, and a gut-feeling… that's all Jacob has.

And he's going places. He's got his future set, St. Bonaventure waiting, and it's not his problem.

It's Hummel, anyway. Like he could _actually_ be a serial killer? Please. And his preppy hobbit boyfriend, double _please_.

The whole thing is ridiculous. Jacob probably got thrown into one too many lockers or something.

Whatever. He's done at McKinley and his flight leaves tomorrow, and he's never looking back.

.

(Jacob leaves all his notes buried at the bottom of his closet. Years and years later, he pulls them out, flips through them, and laughs bitterly, long and hard and heartbroken.

Because maybe he could've stopped it.

But maybe he couldn't.

He'll never know either way.)


	29. Nightmare

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; disturbing imagery; zombies

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 350

Point of view: third

Prompt: author's choice, author's choice, Inhuman Human

* * *

Sometimes, Blaine dreams about graves. He's walking through the boneyard, and there are a dozen markers, and one by one, _they_ rise.

It isn't him they hunt down, though. He runs as fast he can, and he always gets there too late, and Kurt has been torn apart.

And slowly, so slowly, Kurt's dead eyes blink open, and he smiles at Blaine, with blood dripping down his chin onto his moon-white shirt, and he murmurs, _Oh, my love, death is so good_.

Blaine's been having that nightmare for three months before he wakes up screaming, and reaches for Kurt, and holds him until they're both late for class.

"Sweetie," Kurt says softly, the first time. "What's wrong?"

But by the fourth, Kurt says, "Maybe you should talk to someone."

Blaine scoffs, tired and worried and angry. "That's a marvelous idea, Kurt," Blaine bites out. "Should I tell them the rest, too?"

Kurt just looks at him, unphased.

It's not guilt, or regret, or remorse.

Watching Kurt dance around the kitchen, eggs on the stove and toast on a plate, the morning after the sixth nightmare, Blaine thinks it might be fear.

Back in Ohio, Blaine knew that Kurt would be safe. Kurt had been blameless. Blaine would've committed suicide or taken the fall, whichever, and Kurt could've gone on his merry way. Heartbroken, yes, and most likely disgusted at how close Blaine had been - but safe.

Except now Blaine knows that Kurt's just like him and always has been. Kurt won't be safe if they get caught.

Kurt's the only reason Blaine hasn't been caught yet.

The next time he has the nightmare, Blaine walks toward Kurt, bloody and pale and swaying in the midst of all the people Blaine killed in Ohio. Kurt murmurs, _Oh, my love, death is so sweet_, and Blaine reaches for him, and lets Kurt grab him, and while all the dead scream, Blaine kisses Kurt on his bloody lips, and let's Kurt drink him down.

Blaine wakes up with Kurt in his arms. He has different nightmares, but that one never haunts him again.


	30. Mama

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU

Pairings: Burt/Kurt's mom, Burt/Carole

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 865

Point of view: third

Prompt: Glee, Kurt Hummel (+any), His mother taught him French

* * *

Kathryn Ocher was a lovely girl who grew into a beautiful woman. Her family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, when she was thirteen and she attended Crawford Country Day until graduation.

She met Burt Hummel in her senior year, while she was on a date with Mick Connors and he was getting a car ready for tow, working at his dad's garage.

She didn't go on another date with Mick. But she saw Burt again, on her third day at OSU, and the rest is, as they say, history.

.

Kathryn's parents never liked Burt Hummel all that much. They didn't think he was good enough for their daughter, and her mother always talked about French royalty and their supposed ancestor Marie Antoinette. Mom had forced Kathryn to learn French, even though she preferred Spanish and so taught herself both.

But for all that her parents wished she'd never married Burt, they absolutely _adore _Kurt.

Kathryn takes a year off work for Kurt's first twelve months; after she goes back, Mom insists on watching him instead of enrolling him in daycare. Kathryn doesn't see any harm in it, and it might even fix her parents' relationship with Burt.

Mom starts teaching Kurt to speak and read French. For his first couple years (all English at home, all French at Gamma's) Kurt doesn't even seem to notice there's a difference, switching back and forth. Kathryn rolls her eyes and complains to Burt a little (who finds it funny), but doesn't stop Mom.

So Kathryn begins teaching him the finer points of French, the stuff Mom lets slip by because she's just so happy Kurt seems to really love the language.

By the time he's seven, Kurt's as fluent as a child can be in both.

By the time he's seven, Kathryn has noticed a couple things _off _in her son.

.

Kurt wants sensible heels when he's three. That's fine. Kathryn sits Burt down for a talk, but Burt loves their son more than anything else so he mostly polices himself.

Kurt doesn't like playing with other kids. He doesn't like animals of any kind. He distances himself from the children in Mom's neighborhood and at home. He's not _shy _, Kathryn's pretty sure. He's just… standoffish.

Cold, almost.

But he loves Kathryn, and he lights up whenever Burt pays him any attention (which is a lot, because Burt adores their son, and Kathryn muffles her laughter with her hand when Kurt shows Burt the correct way to hold a teacup). Kurt also loves Mom, but Mom dies when Kurt is six, and he screams during the funeral, so Burt carries him out.

.

When Kurt is seven, he asks Kathryn, "Is it okay to kill some people?"

Kathryn blinks at him for a moment, lowering her book. "No, baby," she finally says. "It's never okay."

He nods solemnly and goes back to his Power Rangers.

She tells Burt about it that night, and Burt shrugs. "It's okay, under certain circumstances," he says. "When do you think I oughta start teachin' him to shoot?"

.

In the following months, Kurt asks a lot of questions about right and wrong. Kathryn tries to leave out the shades of gray for when he's older and can understand.

But hurting people is wrong. Killing people is wrong. Hurting and killing animals is wrong.

Defending yourself is right. Defending others is right.

Telling policemen and women the truth is right. Always telling the truth is right.

Lying is wrong. Bending the truth for your own gain is wrong. Lying to people who are trying to help is always wrong.

What worries Kathryn the most, though she runs out of time to tell Burt, is that Kurt's questions about _wrong _all boil down to the same thing, no matter how many ways he tries to dress it up as something different.

_Is it **always** wrong to kill people, Mama? _he asks for months, tiny and adorable and gonna be so gorgeous one day.

He doesn't interact with animals, and he gives children icy glares, and he imagines such amazing things, he has these intricate ideas, and up until he's eight, Kurt Hummel is taking advances classes and about to test out.

But then he and his mother are in an accident.

Kathryn dies on impact. Kurt spends three days in the hospital and is a different boy when he goes home.

.

It's over a year before the Kurt who Burt had known before the accident peeks out of his son's eyes. It's six months before he starts speaking in English again.

Kurt's ten when Burt teaches him gun safety and how to shoot. Kurt's an excellent shot, but he only masters it because Burt wants him to.

Those ninja-knives of his, though… Burt's not quite sure what to think about that, but he's glad Kurt's got some sort of skill to protect himself. Lima's not the best place for a kid like Kurt, but it's their home.

It's where Katie is buried.

Up until he meets Carole, Burt visits Katie every week and tells her what their son is up to. He's so proud of Kurt. He knows she would be, too.


	31. Partners

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; talk of violence, death, and bad things happening to animals

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 515

Point of view: third

Prompt: Author's choice, any/any, crime of passion.

* * *

For Blaine, it's all about the thrill. The power. He only feels truly alive when touching Kurt or killing. It's been that way for as long as he can remember.

In fact, his first memory is his teacher yelling at him and a butterfly in pieces all over his clothes.

.

After Blaine realizes why his family seems so nervous about him, he conducts a little research. Of the fourteen commonalties between serial killers, he only has three.

That's either ironic or sad; Blaine's not sure which.

.

Bugs to spiders to squirrels to cats to dogs… basically, anything he can catch.

After his family's reaction to the squirrel, Blaine made sure to never get caught.

.

There is no connection between Blaine and any of his playmates. (Playmates, not victims. That's important. It's a game. Blaine doesn't care enough about any of them to like or dislike them.

… not entirely accurate.

There was an emotional response to Dave Karofsky. )

Serial killers get caught, Blaine's research showed, because they got sloppy. Because they were found out.

So Blaine makes sure it looks like all his playmates ran away. Or they're found and the cause of death is clearly something innocent.

.

A twelve-year-old is hit by a car that quickly flees. She dies instantly.

Of the dozen who died in Ohio, she's the only one nobody will ever realize was murdered.

.

Blaine doesn't usually plan out who he's going to kill. He's not even entirely sure how he'll do it until he's got his next playmate.

Kurt named over two dozen people who hurt him, and Blaine only went after the worst – eight boys, including Karofsky.

Karofsky was planned. Karofsky was _punished_, and he knew why, as he died.

.

Blaine doesn't plan. He's good at the clean-up, and the hiding, but if given the choice, he'd rather kill every day and twice on Sundays, but he knows that's dangerous. That'll get him caught.

He needs Kurt. Kurt and his rules and his cold, precise logic.

.

For Blaine, it's the thrill, the rush, the _power_. And taking care of Kurt. As time passes, that becomes more important

For Kurt, it's about both power and control, and giving Blaine what he needs.

.

Blaine doesn't consider himself a serial killer. It's a game, and a gift. Kurt's definitely not a serial killer; he's perfect and beautiful and all Blaine's.

Kurt knows exactly what he and Blaine are, and he ensures that nobody knows what's living in their apartment in New York.

No one cares when grown men up and walk away from their lives.

No one looks to carefully when there's a cause of death and a simple explanation in plain sight.

Kurt is careful, methodical, and cold. Blaine is impulsive and passionate, and he would've been caught ages ago, if not for Kurt.

.

In New York, thousands of people go missing every day.

Kurt keeps track of those who are part of Blaine's game.

Some of them are found fairly quickly. Some won't be found for a long time, if ever.

Kurt keeps track of that, too.


	32. Ifs

Title: a storm whereon they ride  
Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron  
Warnings: AU; talk of violence, death, and bad things happening to animals  
Pairings: Kurt/Blaine  
Rating: PG13  
Wordcount: 200  
Point of view: third  
Prompt: any, any/any, "Sometimes in my darkest thoughts, I wish I'd never learned / What it is to be in love and have that love returned" ~Aida

* * *

_If Kurt had never met Blaine..._

He might've stayed at McKinley. Might've even still confronted Karofsky, when pushed too far.

Might've brought a gun to school and either killed himself or gone to jail.

Might've kept his head down and survived, gotten out, gone to New York (probably still Julliard, maybe NYADA with Rachel, NYU, or one of the other hundred schools in the city), had a career on stage or in fashion.

Kurt can't say for sure he'd have never killed, in world without Blaine. But it's far less likely.

In a world without Blaine, he probably would've killed Karofsky and then himself.

_If Blaine had never met Kurt..._

Blaine knows where he'd be without Kurt.

Instead of Karofsky, he would've gone after a Dalton boy, still unsure and sloppy, and he would've been found out, tried as an adult (three bodies doesn't get you juvenile court), and locked away for a very long time, probably the rest of his life.

Blaine's not built for prison. He'd be dead within a year.

.

Kurt makes Blaine _better_. Blaine makes Kurt _happy_.

If they'd never met... they'd both be dead by twenty, and a whole lot of other people might still be alive.


	33. Irony

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; violence

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, OCs/OCs

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 780

Point of view: third

Prompt: Author's Choice, any/any, "Love in the middle of a firefight" - from the song "Search and Destroy"

* * *

There's a mom-and-pop store three blocks from their apartment, so Kurt insists they stop in before heading home. They're very low on milk, too low to make it through the next morning.

Kurt's still high on his first speaking role in a play that's barely off Broadway, and Blaine's still so proud, and any other night, one of them might've noticed.

There are six people in the store, not counting the mom, and Kurt notices the gun peeking out of the man's coat too late.

"Are you _serious_?" he demands as the other man guides them over to the other hostages: two women, one man, and a teenager. So two guys with guns, now six hostages, and a mom without a pop.

Fuck.

Kurt's high is gone and now he's just _pissed_.

Blaine's even angrier, though, and clearly thinking about doing something downright stupid, so Kurt grabs his hand, meets his eyes, and barely shakes his head. Blaine tilts his head, eyes widening, gaze going towards the gunmen and back, and Kurt shakes his head again.

Impulsiveness will get them killed, and this is not the way either of them will die. They will be calm, and they will be cold, and they will survive.

If Blaine is particularly good, Kurt will even move the timetable up for their next game.

.

Goon 1 and Goon 2 get in an argument fifteen minutes into the situation, and the police have finally arrived. It's not as exciting as the movies make it seem – more like _boring_. Blaine's getting restless, the teenager is fidgeting, and the man is about to do something fatally impulsive.

Instead, Goon 1 shoots Goon 2 in the face. Goon 2 goes down in a mess of blood and brains, and it's glorious. Blaine watches with wide eyes as the other hostages scream; Kurt nudges Blaine and they both react like the others.

Nothing about them can stand out. Nothing can be different.

Kurt's rethinking his distaste towards guns, though. The way Goon 2 looks now is beautiful.

Goon 1 looks over and barks, "Old lady, get over here."

This is where a hero would redirect Goon 1's attention, get shot, and save the rest of the hostages just as the police barge in.

The man stands up, gets shot, and collapses across Kurt. Kurt shoves him off and shouts something inane at Goon 1 (because he has to, because he can't draw attention from anyone not about to die), and tries to staunch the flow of blood because a _normal _person would.

While Goon 1 is yelling at Kurt and the mom, the teenager lunges for him and gets pistol-whipped.

This hostage situation, Kurt thinks, glaring Blaine into submission so he doesn't get killed, is not at all like the movies.

"No more heroes!" Goon 1 hollers, and then he gets shot through the window.

_Finally_, Kurt internally scoffs, hands covered in the would-be hero's blood.

.

Kurt and Blaine don't get home until after sunrise. Kurt calls his dad while Blaine calls the clinic; thankfully, Blaine's only class for the day had already been cancelled.

Dad freaks out, rants about New York, and tells Kurt how much he loves him.

Blaine doesn't bother calling his family.

.

There's no trial; Goon 1 takes a plea deal because a jury would've given him life.

The police have no interest in Kurt and Blaine other than their statement. Melanie and Veronica, the women, and Eddie, the teenager, all praised Kurt's calmness; it's what kept them calm. Tom, the man who got shot, was pretty sure Kurt saved his life. Ms. Alquin, the mom of the mom-and-pop store, promised all the hostages that they'd have a discount for the rest of their lives.

They don't even get the front page of any paper, the tiny little store and its tiny little incident. It's New York.

A week later, Blaine's dancing at a club with a pretty little brunette named Rochelle while Kurt preps her room.

.

Tom will tell anyone who listens that he owes his life to that boy at the store, Kevin or Clint or something, Tom can never remember his name, but he remembers his eyes and his hands and his voice, ordering him to breathe, to stay alive, to not die on the floor with some bastard's bullet in his shoulder.

Melanie will cry in her husband's arms, and Veronica will hold her wife close, and Eddie will let his mother sob all over his shirt. Eve Alquin will assure her husband Oliver that the incident is no reason to sell the store and move to Tampa to live with their daughter and her family.

Life moves on.


	34. Lethal

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; violence

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 590

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any, "I didn't kill you. God killed you. I just made sure it took."

* * *

After Nate Ford tells the villain-of-the-week, _I didn't kill you. God killed you. I just made sure it took, _ Blaine says, "Babe, I gotta use that some time."

Kurt rolls his eyes. "Of course, sweetie," he mutters, patting Blaine's shoulder without looking up from his sketchbook.

.

Kurt bought Blaine _Leverage: The Complete Series_ for his birthday and Blaine made him sit down and watch the whole thing, all five seasons, over Thanksgiving. Carole and Dad were on a cruise (a _very_ belated honeymoon) and Finn was off backpacking around Australia, and Blaine's parents were on a business trip in Los Angeles, and Cooper didn't like Kurt all that much, so they'd stayed home for Thanksgiving, begged off all of their coworkers' attempts to invite them to get-togethers, and curled up on the loveseat to watch criminals save the day from even worse bad guys.

Blaine's favorite is Parker. Kurt likes Hardison for his smart mouth and cheekbones, though he also avidly watches anytime Eliot gets to fight. He _really_ likes Eliot's competency.

"Love," he murmurs as Eliot takes down another goon-squad, "I know what we're doing next time."

.

Blaine practiced various types of fighting during high-school, but the one he stuck with at college was kickboxing. He knows _exactly_ why Kurt likes Eliot kicking ass so much.

So Kurt haunts gyms for a few weeks, paying for lessons here and there, pretending to be far less knowledgeable than he is, and finally, on the second Tuesday in January, Kurt finds him.

George Ackers, 55, three months into a training program for boxing at a little hole-in-the-wall gym. Real tough guy.

He's got four inches and thirty pounds on Blaine.

.

Now that Kurt has their playmate chosen, he lets Blaine in on the rest of the plan. Blaine's as excited as he is, and it takes a lot of clever maneuvering to get George where they need him, but they do, and he's stuck in a bare room half a mile from anything else, and Kurt tells him, "If you can beat Blaine, you get to live."

George blinks at him dumbly for a moment before he realizes what that means, and then George shoots to his feet and gapes at the room, and he demands, "What the fuck is going on here!"

Blaine stays quiet, because this is Kurt's game. Kurt sighs long-sufferingly and says, "It's quite simple, George. You and Blaine are going to fight to the death. Last one breathing wins."

"That's completely fucked up!" George yells, and the panic is starting to set in. Kurt glances at Blaine; Blaine nods and starts forward.

Kurt leans against the wall, knife in hand and ready to throw if George makes a run for it.

But George chooses fight instead of flight, and he makes a valiant effort, he really does. Kurt watches eyes wide and he doesn't blink the entire time.

Blaine slowly and methodically beats George to death. George dies gasping and crying, and Blaine leans down to tell him, "I didn't kill you." Kurt smiles, walking over as Blaine continues, "God killed you. I just made sure it took."

Kurt stops next to Blaine and Blaine leans into him, tilting his head up so Kurt can caress his cheek. Kurt says, "That might've been the hottest thing I've ever seen."

Chuckling, Blaine looks down at the body. "We should do it again some time," he says.

Kurt tugs gently at his hair so Blaine rises to his feet, and Kurt pulls him in and promises, "We will."


	35. Sister

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov

Pairings: OMC/OMC, Kurt/OMC

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 945

Point of view: third

Prompt: Florence + the Machine's "Only If for a Night"

* * *

The last time Tonya talked to her brother, it was Thursday night and he said he'd be going to his favorite club on Friday. She told him she'd call him on Saturday to discuss his adventures and that she was proud of him for getting back in the game; his break-up with Charlie had been bitter and full of horribleness on both sides, though of course she was totally in Alex's court. Charlie was a douchebag who didn't deserve her baby brother.

When she calls on Saturday morning, Alex doesn't answer.

He doesn't on Sunday, either.

.

When Alex was eighteen, four years ago, he disappeared. Tonya and Mom went to the police; three days later, after ignoring over a hundred calls, Alex stumbled home, high on his ex-best friend's cocktail of drugs.

Tonya knows what the police would say if she went to them now.

.

Tonya knocks on every door in every apartment building within three miles of Alex's favorite club. It takes her two days.

Only one person, a woman about her age, remembers Alex; she says that Alex left with somebody, a man whose face she never saw, but he was about Alex's height, with dark hair.

Alex has been gone for four days. She calls Mom, and even though Dad says it's just Alex and he'll come stumbling back high on something new, Mom and Tonya both know that Alex has been clean and sober for four years now. He's about to graduate and go out and help people, just like Ms. Georgiana helped him.

He left with that man, and that man did something to him, and no one at the club can tell her anything, and going there every night doesn't help her find a tall guy with dark hair because they're _all_ tall with dark hair.

.

When Alex has been gone for a week, Tonya goes to the police, and she tells them that the woman in 5A saw Alex leave with someone, and though she calls Officer Ryers five days in a row, nothing ever comes of it.

She goes back to 5A to plead with the woman for any scrap of information she can dig out of her head, but 5B tells her that 5A fell down, hit her head, and died.

That's too much of a coincidence, and her big sister's intuition is screaming at her, but the apartment complex wipes its security footage every night. Right there in the building manager's office, Tonya breaks down and sobs.

.

Tonya goes home because she needs to hug her mother.

Mom goes back with her to see Officer Ryers, and she doesn't believe his promise to look for Alex.

5A is dead, there's no security footage at her apartment, and the club has nothing of note, either.

It's hopeless.

Alex is gone and there's no way to find him and the last thing Tonya ever told him was to have fun. She pushed him to get back out there, find someone new.

It's her fault he's gone.

.

Five years later, _Detective_ Ryers calls Tonya and tells her they found her baby brother.

Tonya calls Mom and Dad, and they all go to the police station, and Detective Ryers explains that a company was developing an empty lot and found Alex while digging. Detective Ryers says that they'll do what they can, and he's sorry, and it's all Tonya can do not to scream at him because if he'd just _believed_ her and done his job _five years ago_ -

Dad squeezes Tonya's hand. Mom pulls her in tight and thanks Detective Ryers through the tears. They all go home, back to the house Tonya grew up in, and she stumbles up the stairs to the room that used to be Alex's, that Mom turned into a library when Alex moved out. Tonya stands in the doorway and tries to remember what it used to look like.

She's already started forgetting Alex's voice.

.

Tonya moves away from New York because she can't stand the city anymore. It killed her brother. Her company has an opening to Tulsa and she goes.

During her first tornado, she huddles in the cellar and when the roaring gets close to enough to hear, she thinks, _That's how I feel_.

But Alex… he wouldn't want to be the reason she gives up. So she drives to the river, stares down into it, and lets everything go: her grief, her rage, her guilt. Because Alex is dead. He's been buried. She has no way to find who did it, or punish them, and Detective Ryers won't tell her any more than he already has. She can do nothing…

Except move on. Let Alex go. Live her life to the fullest to honor her brother.

So she says, "Alex, I love you. Goodbye." She goes home, calls her mother, and talks about all the ways Tulsa is different from where she grew up and New York City, and it's a good conversation.

Alex has been dead for eight years. Tonya has been, too.

But she's still alive and it's time to start acting like it.

She has no idea if she'll ever have kids, but she does know, staring at Alex's picture, that if she has a son… she won't be naming him Alexander. Alex had told her that was the creepiest thing in Harry Potter, naming all the children with dead people's names. He'd laughingly told her that none of his kids would have any family names.

"Bye, Lex," she whispers, setting the picture back down and heading to the kitchen. Breakfast, then work, then dinner with Danielle from the office.

She's alive. She needs to start living.


	36. Heritage

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov

Pairings: OFC/OMC, Burt/Mama Hummel

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 470

Point of view: third

Prompt: Florence + the Machine's "Shake It Out"

* * *

Greta Connors married Henry Ocher, had a son and a daughter, and grew old. She has the blood of kings and queens in her veins and all anyone will ever be able to say about her is that she taught French at two middling public schools for twenty years, that she raised two babies into productive members of society (her son joined the army and died for his country; her daughter works in the DA's office, trying to make the world better).

Greta's baby girl has a beautiful baby boy and the first time Greta holds tiny little Kurt, she whispers in the language of their ancestors, "You're going to be something extraordinary, little one."

.

Greta's first boyfriend (who tried to take more than she was ready to give) ran away two months into their relationship.

Greta's only rival for Henry ran away eighteen months before Greta's marriage to the love of her life.

The first girl to break Freddy's heart suffered a fatal head wound when she tripped on the stairs at school. Greta was given a week's vacation because she was the one to find her.

The first boy to make Kathryn cry survived a fall over the railing and Greta told Henry it was time to move; there was a job in Cincinnati that she wanted, and better schools for their children.

.

Greta retired when Kathryn had Kurt. She was tired of dealing with other people's brats, and Kurt needed her.

She taught him French and told him stories of their ancestors and explained to him all the rules society would try to impose on him.

When she had him overnight, her bedtime stories were about a sixteen year old boy who ran away, and an eighteen year old girl who wanted a man too good for her, and a fifteen year old girl who played with an innocent boy's affections, and a fourteen year old boy who somehow managed to survive a two-story fall.

"You must do better, bébé," she told her only grandchild, in English to make sure he understood. "Leave nothing to chance and no room for error. All details must be exact."

"Yes, Gamma," he said seriously, arms around his favorite toy, a plush Great White.

.

When Greta is fifty-seven, she falls down the stairs while Henry is preparing steaks for dinner.

She lingers in a coma for two days and dies without ever waking up.

Kathryn spends a week in tears and then goes back to work.

All Kurt asks for a month is when he can see Gamma again.

Six months after the funeral, Kurt asks Kathryn for the story about the boy who ran away.

She has no idea what he's talking about, but she does wonder, for just a few moments, what exactly her mother had been telling her son.


	37. Lovers

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; mentions of violence, death, and blood

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 180

Point of view: third

Prompt: Florence + the Machine's "What the Water Gave Me"

* * *

"Tell me," Kurt whispers, spread on the blanket with Blaine, away from the world, "tell me about them all."

.

They're both college graduates. They've been in the city of their dreams for four years. They've killed two dozen people, together and apart.

Blaine takes Kurt by the hand and leads him to the place where it all began, that park in Westerville. He kisses his way down Kurt's body, whispering into his skin all the secrets Kurt already knows, after six years together.

Rafe Carleton, who taught Blaine so many things.

Caroline Evans, who shouldn't have been so curious.

Willis Nichols, who fought every step of the way.

Dave Karofsky, still the most pleasurable of all Blaine's games.

"Tell me about Karofsky again," Kurt gasps, within sight of the boneyard.

Blaine obliges. They don't get back to Kurt's old house until just before dawn.

.

"Tell me," Blaine whispers, wrapped up in Kurt in their own bed, "tell me we'll never be apart."

"I swear," Kurt promises, and he bites down until Blaine bleeds and he drinks Blaine all the way down.


	38. Concern

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov; assumed domestic violence

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; unrequited OFC/Kurt

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 1230

Point of view: third

Prompts: Florence + the Machine's "Never Let Me Go" ; Perhaps Kurt's (or Blaine's) school/work friends think their relationship is unhealthy and plan a well meaning intervention. It does not go well for them. I just like the idea of someone trying to separate them, not realizing they're two of a kind.

* * *

There's a boy in Ariella's Shakespeare class. Well, there's a lot of boys. But this one boy – she can't take her eyes off him. Long and lean, eyes that go from icy to bright blue-gray, cheekbones she wants to lick, dark brown hair she wants to tangle her fingers in…

His name's Kurt, and they just got assigned as partners to perform a scene from Romeo and Juliet.

Kurt looks at her, trails his eyes up and down her body, and gives her a charming smile. "Hello," he says softly, settling next to her at the table. "Please tell me you'd be willing to pick a lesser-known scene instead of anything trite or cliché."

"Of course," she says, trying to give him a sexy smile, or at least something impressive, that'll keep him looking.

"Oh, good," he sighs in relief. "My last partner insisted on doing all the famous scenes from Othello and Dr. Tims wasn't wowed at all. _Everyone_ does those scenes, so we should do something completely different."

"Sure!" Ariella says. "I've never done much Shakespeare, so you should take the lead."

He smiles again, flipping open his book. "Lovely. Let's get to work."

.

Kurt agrees to meet Ariella after school and they go to Starbucks. They've decided to do Act III Scene III, between Friar Laurence and Romeo. Shakespeare has never been Ariella's thing but she hangs off Kurt's every word.

She's looking down at the play, trying to figure out how they can trade off Nurse's lines without being too confusing, when Kurt says, "Blaine! What are you doing here?"

Ariella glances up in time to see a handsome boy lean down to kiss Kurt; she can't pull her eyes away until the boy pulls back.

"I got your text and it's on the way to work," he says, shrugging. "Thought I'd stop in to see you."

"I'm glad you did," Kurt says. "Blaine, this is Ariella from my Shakespeare class." He smiles at Ariella. "Ariella, this is my boyfriend."

"Hi," Blaine says, holding out a hand. "It's wonderful to meet you."

"You, too," Ariella manages, shaking his hand.

Kurt has a boyfriend. Fuck.

.

The more time she spends with Kurt, the more Ariella adores him. He's hilarious, he's bitchy, he's smart. They get the highest grade in the class for their performance and Kurt invites Ariella out for celebratory drinks.

Blaine comes, too, and for all that he seems like the perfect boyfriend, something about him strikes Ariella as _off_. She has no idea what about him she doesn't like, but _The Gift of Fear_ tells her she shouldn't ignore that feeling.

She thinks that maybe it's how possessive Blaine is, or the way Kurt always talks about him like he's pure gold (because no one is that good, and no relationship is that seamless), or the way Blaine is always perfectly polite and charming.

_Too_ polite and _too_ charming. Like he's acting all the time. The way he makes out with Kurt any and everywhere proves he's not shy, so what other reason does he have for the mask?

Ariella starts keeping notes and rereading _The Gift of Fear_. Kurt's quickly becoming her best friend and she's given up convincing him he's bi or pan, and now all she cares about is his safety.

.

In the spring, Ariella has no classes with Kurt and suddenly he has no time to hang out. Ariella knows it's Blaine, finally deciding to exert his control and keep Kurt isolated. She goes to their apartment one evening in February, when Blaine should be at work (a _suicide prevention hotline_, which is insane. It has to be a hunting ground or something because there's no way Blaine wants to actually help people).

Kurt answers the door and stares at her for a few moments; he looks awful, with a bruise on his collarbone peeking out of his shirt and scratches down his neck.

"Kurt!" she exclaims. "What the hell happened? Did Blaine do this to you?"

"Ariella," Kurt sighs. "Please, come in."

He offers her a beverage but she refuses, still watching him. "What happened?" she asks again, horrified and angry. She wants to find Blaine and slap him across the face. She will definitely be calling the police when she leaves here, because _no one_ can abuse Kurt, not while she's around. "Let me help, Kurt! You don't – he's _hurting_ you."

"Blaine is _not_ abusing me," Kurt says. "And our relationship isn't any of your concern. Thank you for your worry, but please keep out of my business."

"Kurt," she tries again. "Please, listen to me. I've noticed – your boyfriend isn't a good guy, Kurt."

His gaze shoots from his glass of water to Ariella's eyes. "What have you noticed?" he asks after a moment.

Ariella calmly lists everything. Kurt listens silently, hands demurely folded in his lap. When she's done, he says quietly, "You've given me a lot of think about. Please… I need time, Ariella. Thank you for being such a good friend."

She knows a dismissal when she hears it. At the door, she gently takes his hand and pleads, "Come with me, Kurt. Don't stay here."

Kurt shakes his head. "I'll be fine, I promise."

She doesn't want to leave him there, but she can't make him choose to go. So she carefully kisses his cheek and heads home.

.

The next day, she visits the closest police station with all her notes and reports what she'd seen the night before.

Two days after that, she gets an angry call from Kurt because an officer had just left after speaking to both Kurt and Blaine about domestic abuse, which, of course, doesn't happen in their home. When Ariella calls the officer, he tells her that nothing seemed amiss and Kurt's injuries had an innocent explanation.

Ariella hangs up disgusted and resolves to save Kurt herself.

.

Two weeks after going to the police, Ariella's academic advisor calls her into a meeting and informs her that another student has lodged a complaint about harassment.

"What?" Ariella gasps. "Who? Why?"

"Until the investigation is complete, I'm afraid I can't tell you that," Dr. Sloan says. "But you need to keep your head down. In a few days, I, along with the Dean, will question you about the situation. Of course, you'll learn who has accused you then." She locks gazes with Ariella and says seriously, "Go to class and go home, Ariella. Don't talk to anyone unless you need to."

"Of course, Dr. Sloan," she murmurs.

This has to be Blaine. But maybe the investigation will reveal that she's right, so she does exactly what Dr. Sloan advises.

.

She answers every question honestly. Officer Helton is even called in.

But when all is said and done, Ariella is told to leave Kurt alone or be placed on probation, which would cut off her scholarship.

She's done everything she can, done everything right. Nothing's worked.

So she looks at Dr. Williams, the man holding her future in his hand, and says she understands.

Ariella can't help Kurt anymore. He doesn't _want_ her help. So she leaves him alone for the rest of her time at Julliard.

.

Over the years, Ariella will think back to Kurt, and his creepy boyfriend Blaine, and she'll wonder whatever happened to them.

She'll never know how right she was, and how utterly wrong at the same time.


	39. Karofsky

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: coldblooded murder

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 285

Point of view: third

Prompt: Florence + the Machine's "Breaking Down"

* * *

Learning Dave Karofsky's address is easy. Waiting until he's home alone takes a few hours, but it's Saturday morning, Karofsky has plans for later, and Karofsky's parents have tickets for a show in Columbus.

Kurt still has bruises.

Blaine doesn't knock on the door. He waits until Karofsky climbs into his truck, follows him, and leaves his car parked three streets over from the house Karofsky just entered. He sneaks into the truck four hours later when Karofsky climbs back into it, and while Karofsky's driving home, he puts the barrel of a gun to Karofsky's head and orders, "Do exactly what I say. You might live."

Karofsky tries bluffing his way out, but Blaine can tell he's completely terrified.

Good.

.

Blaine makes sure to explain every step of the way, so that Karofsky knows exactly why.

Karofsky begs. Karofsky screams. Karofsky sobs.

By the end, Karofsky isn't capable of any noise at all.

.

Blaine ditches Karofsky's truck five towns over and takes a cab to where he left his car.

He wishes he could tell Kurt about how Karofsky bled all over the dirt. But Kurt – he'd be horrified, disgusted, maybe even scared of Blaine. Kurt's such a good guy, such a bright soul. He'd hate that Blaine did violence in his name.

So Blaine doesn't tell him about Karofsky, or about the ones that follow. Seven, all in a row, spread out over a year.

Sometimes, in the middle of class, or walking to Kurt's dorm, or during Warblers' practice, or while waiting for his turn at fight club, Blaine daydreams about standing behind Kurt, arms wrapped him around him, murmuring to him about the perfect way to slice.

It's just a daydream, though.


	40. Engagement

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: coldblooded murder

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; OFC/OMC

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 470

Point of view: third

Prompt: Florence + the Machine's "Lover to Lover"

* * *

Mike has big plans for Valentine's Day; he and Kat have been dating for two years now, her art is finally taking off, and he's about to graduate with a job waiting at Uncle Tyron's company. The future is bright, so he's going to take her to a fancy place, and do the cliché down-on-one-knee proposal, and everything is going to be _wonderful_.

The night is perfect. Kat says yes and cries, and it's not too cold, so instead of splurging for a cab, they walk home arm-in-arm.

Mike doesn't know what happens, but one minute he's on the sidewalk with Kat, and then there's pain at his back, and he wakes up in a room he's never been in before, and Kat is still out cold next to him, and he has no idea what's going on.

"Hi!" a warm voice says from the side, and Mike rolls over to look: a guy a little shorter than him, dark hair, handsome.

Holding a knife.

_Fuck_.

.

When Kat wakes up, it's too Mike begging.

"Hello," a soft voice says from right beside her. "We've been waiting for you to join us."

Kat's eyes fly open and she sits up, lunging for the stranger entirely too close; one hand slams into his chest, and the other claws at his neck. He shouts, bringing his own hand up to slap her across the face. Kat falls back down onto the counter and hears Mike screaming, "No, please, leave her alone!"

"Mike!" Kat whispers, eyes on the stranger. "Mike!"

The man glares down at her, a few drops of blood rolling down his neck. "Let's try that again."

.

The man succumbs to his injuries five hours after Blaine starts playing with him. Because Kurt is compassionate, he executes the woman mere minutes after the man's death.

"Remember," Kurt says, crouching down next to the body. "Mugging gone terribly wrong." He'd been stalking them for weeks; if they'd waited any longer, there would have been too many eyes watching a young couple prepare for their wedding. Because they are so sociable, they can't just vanish: they have to be found with a simple explanation.

Blaine sighs. "This part is so monotonous," he mutters, but he obeys.

Kurt checks his work before nodding and saying brightly, "Time to dump them."

.

Mid-morning, a stock boy for a mystic shop finds two bodies hidden in the alley behind the store. The bodies are quickly identified by the police: Michael Cloud and Katarina Ettles, 24 and 25, a long-time couple. Everything of value had been stripped by whoever killed them.

There are never any suspects so no arrests are made. Eventually, it becomes a cold case.

They'd just become engaged that very night, too. Such a shame.

Kurt remembers. Blaine didn't even bother to learn their names.


	41. Meeting

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: mentions of violence/murder

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 500

Point of view: third

Prompt: Florence + the Machine's "No Light, No Light"

* * *

"My name's Blaine," he says.

"Kurt," is the reply, and they shake hands, and Blaine never really lets go.

End of story…

… except not.

.

Outside looking in, everything revealed, and people would gasp, horrified, and cover their mouths, and mutter, "Such a monster. How could I have ever been fooled?"

They'd wrap Kurt up in blankets and cluck in distress, try to comfort him and assure him it wasn't his fault, he could never have known.

Blaine would get the book thrown at him, locked away on death row or for life, depending on where he was tried. He started in Ohio, but he mastered in New York –

And what he will never mention, throughout the trial that will not be, is what changed between those two states.

.

"Excuse me," he says. "I'm new here."

Fragile and breaking, timid and shy, beaten down and wary, bruised and bloodied.

So fucking well done that Blaine never had a clue the boy he so gently wooed was just as blood-thirsty and just as cruel.

Maybe even more.

.

Blaine took him by the hand and thought he might be the next playmate, the pale boy failing to spy.

Blaine listened to his story and wanted blood – but not his. Never his.

Because that day in Dalton, he looked into eyes that equaled his own, and he held a hand that fit in his perfectly, and his soul knew what the rest of him didn't yet: here was his forever. Here was his always.

And when Kurt called in a disgusted, horrified panic a couple days later, Blaine didn't think of Kurt as a potential game. Blaine thought of Kurt as _mine_.

.

Blaine's hands are stained with blood. He finds the red beautiful.

Kurt's hands are clear only because he washes them daily. But sometimes he sketches himself and Blaine all in red, and no one would take that as a confession only because they are blind and don't want to see.

.

Blaine is not the planner. He executes, but he's not really the executioner, either. He reads true crime novels because he wants to learn about common mistakes and what, exactly, the authorities look for.

Kurt's pleasure is not in the kill itself, unless he has some sort of emotional connection to the victim. (For Kurt, they're all victims. For Blaine, they're playmates. Because Kurt knows and Blaine's in denial, and that's fine. Kurt keeps them safe. Blaine keeps them happy.)

Kurt's pleasure is in getting away with it. In giving Blaine what he needs. In hunting and planning and seducing all these people who ignore what their subconscious is screaming, because Kurt's read psychology books and they all know before that final moment.

Blaine will be reviled, if they're ever found out.

Blaine would've been caught before he was twenty if not for Kurt.

.

"My name's Blaine," he said, holding out a hand.

Kurt looked into his eyes and wondered, took his hand, and said, "Kurt."

End of story…

… except not.


	42. Passion

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: mentions of cold-blooded murder and non-con

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; Kurt/OMC/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 250

Point of view: third

Prompt: Florence + the Machine's "Seven Devils"

* * *

Sometimes they plead or try to bargain. Sometimes they threaten.

Sometimes Kurt has every single thing planned out; Blaine follows each step, adding embellishments or tiny twists, and Kurt watches, occasionally offering direction.

Sometimes, all Kurt does is provide the playmate and leave everything else up to Blaine. Those are usually the messiest to clean up.

Sometimes, Kurt clinically deals with the playmates himself, glancing up periodically to meet Blaine's eyes. Kurt takes great care to sterilize everything those times because Blaine _really_ enjoys watching Kurt get his hands dirty.

Kurt's favorite times, though, are the ones they do together, he and Blaine wrapped around their playmate, feeling each other throughout it all, or the ones where they each have a playmate of their own at the same time.

… no, his favorites are when they have a single playmate and do it together.

"What are you thinkin' about?" Blaine murmurs, pressing a kiss to Kurt's hair as they cuddle on the couch and watch _American Psycho_ in honor of Halloween. It's one of Blaine's favorites; Kurt only tolerates it for Christian Bale and Jared Leto.

"Us," Kurt replies, tilting his head back to kiss the junction of Blaine's jaw and throat. It's been months. He knows Blaine must be getting antsy, because Kurt is. He doesn't need it, and could live without it…

But he's craving the sight of Blaine watching in fascination as someone gasps out their last breath.

Tomorrow, he'll start researching their next playmate.


	43. Planning

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: planning of cold-blooded murder

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 210

Point of view: third

Prompt: Florence + the Machine's "Heartlines"

* * *

"Man, woman, or other?" Kurt asks as Blaine serves their breakfast: toast, eggs, and grapefruit.

"Man," Blaine says, setting a plate in front of Kurt.

Blaine's toast has strawberry jelly; Kurt's has blackberry. Blaine's eggs are fried and barely runny; Kurt's are scrambled almost to dust. They both like the grapefruit, though it's not Kurt's favorite.

"Age?" Kurt asks, placing a mental checkmark next to _man_ in the list he never writes down, even in code.

"Doesn't matter," Blaine tells him, heading back to the fridge for his milk and Kurt's orange juice.

Kurt checks _over forty_ because their playmates have been running young lately and that might become noticeable.

"Race?" Kurt asks. They might need to vary that up soon; a large portion have been white.

Blaine shrugs, setting their cups on the table.

Kurt puts a dash next to that on the list; he'll need to think about it.

"What kind of mood are you in?" Kurt asks, biting into his toast.

Blaine looks at Kurt through his lashes. "I'd like to watch you," he murmurs.

Kurt smiles at him. "I'll let you know," he says.

Within two weeks, definitely. But he won't tell Blaine his picks until they're in the room and the man is begging for his life.


	44. Wedding

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: so much fluff

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 220

Point of view: third

Prompt: Florence + the Machine's "Spectrum"

* * *

Kurt proposes on the Valentine's after Blaine graduates from grad school. They wed on their ninth anniversary, before a justice of the peace, with both their immediate families present.

It's not the wedding most people would believe Kurt wanted, but it's perfect.

Blaine vows, "Kurt, I will always love you, always protect you, surprise you, pick up your call no matter what I'm doing or where I am, bake you _those_ cookies whenever you like, and kiss you whenever and wherever you want."

Kurt vows, "Blaine, I will always love you, always protect you, always care for you in any way you need, text you inane little comment throughout the day just to make you smile, coordinate our outfits so everyone knows we are each other's, and to kiss you whenever and wherever you want."

Half of each vow was straightforward and meant exactly what was said. The other half…

They keep their eyes open and staring into each other as they share their first kiss as legal husbands.

Kurt's dad and Blaine's mom are sobbing, Cooper and Finn clapping each other on the back, and Blaine's dad and Carole spinning each other around the room.

"I love you," Blaine whispers into his mouth just before they separate.

"I love you, too," Kurt murmurs as they turn to face their families.


	45. Love

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron;

Warnings: fluff; a psychopath trying to understand love

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 315

Point of view: third

Prompt: Florence + the Machine's "All This and Heaven Too"

* * *

When Blaine tells Kurt _I love you_, he means it every time.

When he tells anyone else _I love you_, he's never meant it.

.

"Mama," Blaine asks when he's three, "what's love?"

She talks about warm cookies and chocolate milk, about acceptance, about family.

He doesn't get it, but she smiles when he tells her he loves her most of all.

.

"Daddy," Blaine asks when he's seven, "what's love?"

He talks about defending family, playing catch, about watching games, summer days at the pool.

Blaine doesn't get it, but Daddy ruffles his hair when he says he loves him.

.

"Cooper," Blaine asks when he's eleven, "what's love?"

He talks about girls, their skin and their curves, their lips and their voices.

Blaine doesn't get it, and he doesn't tell his brother he loves him.

.

When Blaine is seventeen, he says _I love you_ and he means it. He understands it. He wants to be near Kurt all the time, if not touching him, then at least able to see him. He wants to tell Kurt everything, to listen to anything Kurt wants to say, to sing duets and dance dorkishly around the room with him, to show him the boneyard and detail exactly how he did each one. He's unexplainably happy in Kurt's presence. Hearing Kurt's name makes him smile.

Everything his parents and brother said makes sense because of Kurt.

At seventeen, he swears to keep Kurt for as long as he can, to whatever end.

At nineteen, he learns that he can keep Kurt until death do them part because Kurt _is just like him_.

.

"I love you," Blaine says every morning.

"I love you, too," Kurt replies, leaning down for a quick kiss.

They're bound by bodies and blood, by secrets and games, by _love_. Blaine looks at Kurt and sees forever.

Kurt looks at Blaine and sees the same.


	46. Rachel

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron;

Warnings: outside pov

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; Rachel/Finn

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 1135

Point of view: third

Prompt: Florence + the Machine's "Leave My Body"

* * *

Rachel Barbra Berry had liked Blaine Anderson at first. Of course she did; most people do. She saw how he watched Kurt with hearts in his eyes, even before they got together; she saw how he treated Kurt carefully, how he listened, how he went out of his way to make sure Kurt was comfortable.

To be honest, watching Kurt and Blaine together made Rachel feel like a terrible friend. She had seen the Karofsky situation spiraling out of control and hadn't done anything. None of them did.

In the wake of Kurt leaving, Rachel leads New Directions (as is right) in a pledge to stamp out bullying, to drive violence out of McKinley for good.

They all swear and make good for a couple weeks, but then Rachel butts heads with Santana over solos, and their pledges slip their minds.

Rachel does feel bad about that, for a little while. But she must focus on her career, and Kurt would understand, if he were still at McKinley.

In fact, she makes it her mission to convince him to return. His place is at her side.

.

"I don't understand!" Rachel tells Finn, after Kurt brushes her off to spend time with Blaine. "What reasons could he possibly have to stay at Dalton? McKinley is his home!"

Finn just gapes at her, but before he can come up with a response, she continues, "Karofsky is gone and bullying is at an all-time low, thanks to my efforts. He's always with Blaine, and I bet that's why! Blaine's turned him against us, Finn! Don't you see?"

"Rachel!" Finn finally shouts, and she slams her mouth shut to stare at him in shock. "Rachel, look," he says. "Kurt was miserable at McKinley. He's happy now. Okay? He's popular and well-liked at Dalton." Finn takes her hand and squeezes it. "Rachel, Kurt is smiling again."

She thinks for a moment and then asks softly, "But can't he smile at McKinley? With us? I miss him, and he's always busy…"

Finn leans down to kiss her forehead. "I really don't think he could," he says gently. "Now, c'mon – don't you have some movie to show me?"

.

During the spring, Kurt and Blaine go on a few double dates with Finn and Rachel. Rachel dominates the conversation, as is right, and details how wonderful McKinley is. She doesn't realize how uncomfortable Kurt must be until he and Blaine leave before they've even finished their meals.

She does notice, though, that it's _Blaine_ who decides to leave and Kurt who follows docilely behind him.

Kurt, who isn't _docile _at all.

.

Their next two double dates further cement Rachel's conclusions: Blaine isn't good for Kurt at all. Oh, he is a wonderful actor, and he probably does truly love Kurt – the way an abusive husband loves a battered wife.

"Don't you see?" she demands of Finn as Kurt and Blaine leave to go see a movie. Blaine had paid for all four of them, clearly trying to seem like a good guy, and he has everyone fooled except Rachel.

"See what?" Finn sighs, opening his leftover's box to take another bite.

"Finn!" Rachel says, closing the box and pulling it towards her. "Blaine is controlling Kurt. Kurt only aped his opinions all evening!"

"What are you talkin' about?" Finn asks, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "Kurt's happy, and Blaine's a good guy. I've never seen Kurt like this. He dances around the kitchen, Rachel. Blaine is the reason Kurt's dancing around the kitchen, and I don't understand why you can't just be glad like I am!"

.

Kurt never answers the phone when Rachel calls. He's pulled away from most of New Directions; Finn is the only one he maintains contact with, and Rachel's sure that's only because their parents are married.

Over the summer break, Rachel spends time at Kurt's house, and he's cordial enough. They discuss their shared interests, the schools they'll be applying to in the fall, the uselessness of football.

Kurt only seems alive whenever Blaine is present, too, and something about that is _wrong_. Unhealthy. But Rachel's concerns and opinions are ignored, so she quits trying.

Her last statement of the matter to Finn is simply, "I hope everyone realizes before it's too late," and she refuses to talk about it again.

.

In the spring of their senior year, a few days before her audition for NYADA (such an amazing school! her future will be made when she gets in!), Finn sits Rachel down in the choir room and says, "You were right about Blaine."

"Was I?" she asks, head held high. Of course she was. But she washed her hand of the entire matter months ago. She's seen Kurt in passing at Finn's house, and Blaine, too. There's something off about them, but she doesn't care anymore.

She did her best and no one listened. She has New York now.

"Rachel, please," Finn says. "I don't know what to do. My brother – his boyfriend is – I don't think it's abuse, but something's not right. They're too perfect, and Burt and Mom don't see it."

"Neither did you," Rachel says primly, staring up at her boyfriend who is staying in Ohio after graduation.

Finn is her high-school sweetheart, but he was never cut out for a lifelong lead.

"I told you a year ago that something was wrong with Blaine Anderson, and you didn't listen. I have no time for this now," she tells him, standing up. "I have the final preparations for my audition; Carmen Thibodaux is coming to Lima for me, and I must wow her. Excuse me, Finn." She daintily maneuvers past him.

"You know, everyone told me you were selfish," Finn bites out at her back. "But this – my brother's in danger! Don't you care?"

Rachel pauses. This is a turning point in her life story, she knows, and one day, it will be rendered dramatically on the big screen.

Finn Hudson is too small for Rachel Barbra Berry. She has four more months in Lima and then she is Broadway-bound.

"Your brother was in danger last year, when I warned you," she says without turning to look. "I have to go, Finn."

"If you walk out that door," he shouts, "we're done!"

In the movie they make of her life, Rachel decides, she will be the one to break up with her high-school sweetheart.

"Goodbye, Finn," she says. "I'll always love you."

.

The next day, Rachel sings a heartrending song in glee and everyone cries at the beauty of it.

Finn doesn't speak to her for the rest of the year, but he does hug her at graduation.

Rachel smiles at Kurt and Blaine every time she sees them, and then she goes to New York and NYADA and never looks back.


	47. Lullaby

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron; "The Boy Who Ran Away" is mine.

Warnings: implied murder and attempted non-con

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 345

Point of view: third

* * *

Kurt inherited his voice from his mother, who inherited it from hers. Gamma took care of him while Mama worked from thirteen months to kindergarten, and then she picked him up from school most days until her death in March.

There isn't much he remembers about her. His mother died two years after her and he's pretty sure that his memories of them have faded into each other. He knows that he used to ask his mother for the fairy tale about the boy who ran away and his mother had no idea what he meant.

He's remembered bits and pieces over the years, writing them down in the same notepad, and he eventually sings what he's pretty sure is the whole thing to Blaine, wrapped up in each other in their bed in their apartment in New York.

_Once upon a time, my little bébé,_

_A very bad boy ran away._

_He got what he deserved_

_When he tried to steal the girl._

.

_Once upon a time_

_In a far away town_

_There lived the prettiest little girl around._

_She thought she loved a very bad boy_

_But she didn't know what was in his heart._

.

_Once upon a time, my little bébé,_

_With the twist of a sharp knife_

_And a quick, deep slice,_

_Bad little boys can be punished for all their sins_

_And the little girls who never had a chance._

.

_Always be looking, always be ready_

_For that perfect chance to strike._

_Always be careful, always be wary;_

_Take what's yours when you want._

.

_Once upon a time is yours, bébé,_

_If you're sharp as knife and twice as bright._

_Once upon a time, reach for your dreams,_

_Precise and smart and prepared._

_Be ready, be wary, above all be smart –_

_Make the bad boy run away._

"Your grandmother sang that to you?" Blaine asks when he's done.

"Uh huh," Kurt answers, humming a little bit of the tune.

"She sounds amazing," Blaine murmurs, falling backwards and pulling Kurt with him.

Laughing, Kurt says, "She was."


	48. Mistake

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: mentions of murder

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 605

Point of view: third

Prompt: Prompt: Any, any/any, Music makes you lose control

* * *

Kurt understands that Blaine is impulsive. Really, he gets it. And Blaine devours true crime books, so he should know how to avoid the stupid mistakes that get people caught.

One of those stupid mistakes is killing in your own neighborhood.

It's _simple_: don't kill in your own neighborhood and don't go so far it's obvious you're avoiding your own neighborhood. There's a giant radius to pick from, and Blaine _should know better_.

Hell, Kurt _knows _that Blaine knows better because they are old hat at this. They've been partners in every way for coming up on five years now, and Blaine had been doing it for four before that.

So such a stupid mistake...

"She lived one floor above us!" Kurt hisses while the police investigate Marigold Thompson's apartment. She'd been found in the basement by a custodian, bludgeoned to death. "What the fuck were you thinking?!"

Blaine shrugs. "I just… you weren't here, and I was listening to 'My Boy Builds Coffins,' and her TV was blasting.

Kurt stares at him in disbelief. "That's your excuse?" he demands. "_Really_, Blaine? Fuck." He grabs at his hair, quickly looking around the apartment to see if anything needs to be straightened before the _police knock on the door to interview them_.

Everything looks clean. Nothing is written down. Kurt doesn't keep anything incriminating in the apartment.

… well, except for his _idiot boyfriend_. How could Blaine be so stupid?

"New rule," Kurt orders, turning to face Blaine and grabbing his chin. "Don't kill anyone who lives within a mile of us. Clear?"

Blaine nods, unable to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry, Kurt. I just… couldn't help myself. She was blasting _infomercials_."

Kurt closes his eyes and massages his temples. "Go take a shower," he says. "Where are your clothes?"

"I dumped 'em yesterday morning on the way to work," Blaine replies, heading for the bathroom.

"There are _cameras_ in this building," Kurt says. "I can't even…" He wants to scream, but he can't draw any attention while _police are upstairs _trying to figure out who killed a harmless old lady.

Something will have to be done. Maybe make sure to always play at least once a month? No, too frequent. Kurt absently chews on his left thumbnail while arranging the decorative pillows on the couch. Every four months? That'd be three a year, maybe more if two at a time. Surely that'd be enough to keep Blaine sated. And maybe special treats for birthdays and their anniversary…

Yes, that sounds goods. He'll amend the rules after this whole FUBAR is taken care of.

Kurt doesn't realize he's humming 'My Boy Builds Coffins' until someone knocks on the door. Two detectives stand there and the older one says, "I'm Detective Donaldson; this is my partner, Detective Carrow. May we come in, sir? We have some questions about what's happened."

"Yes, of course," he says, stepping back. "I heard – it's awful." He closes the door behind them and asks, "Would you like anything to drink? My boyfriend's showering, if you need to ask him something, too."

Detective Carrow says, "I'll take some water. Also, we will need to speak to your boyfriend, too."

Kurt nods and hurries to the kitchen. His mind is racing; he was working late two nights ago, when Blaine killed the old lady. His alibi is airtight. But Blaine…

Such a stupid mistake, _honestly_.

"Here you are, sir," he says, handing the detective the cup of water. "I'll go get Blaine."

Blaine doesn't need an alibi, if nothing connects him to the murder, if he never becomes a suspect.

Besides, there have been some hooligans lurking around lately.


	49. Better

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: implied murder and attempted non-con

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 370

Point of view: third

Prompt: any, any/any, love does exactly what it wants to do

* * *

Blaine makes Kurt happy. Kurt makes Blaine better. They are perfect for each other.

Unfortunately for everyone else, they make each other _worse_.

.

Blaine would've long since been caught. Kurt would never have killed.

Kurt taught Blaine to love. Blaine taught Kurt how to kill. Kurt gives Blaine playmates; Blaine does silly things just to make Kurt laugh.

Blaine needs to kill; Kurt enables him, cleans up after him, makes sure everything is absolutely perfect.

Kurt needs to get away with it and Blaine does his best to follow every rule so he does.

.

Kurt knows that Blaine is the best possible partner he could ever have. Companion. Boyfriend. Significant other. Lover. _Lover_, he thinks, is his favorite, though he likes _significant other_, too.

Kurt only loves two people in the whole world, and he's pretty sure it would break Dad's heart to know what Kurt is - but Dad would still love him and try to protect him.

And Blaine... Blaine fits into all of Kurt's sharp edges and hidden chasms, and fills him up, and makes him warm where he'd always been cold.

Kurt knew how to love before Blaine. He loved Mama and Daddy, and Gamma, from what he remembers of her. Grampa, too, though far more distantly.

But Blaine - Blaine is the first and only person to be _his_.

Blaine needs him. Blaine wants him.

Blaine has him, and always will.

.

While Kurt and Blaine are good for each other, they're bad for everyone else.

Kurt finds that ironic, when he thinks about it.

Back at McKinley, back in Lima, most of those sheep thought he'd be alone forever, that something was wrong with him.

Well, he did find his other half. But... something really _is _wrong with him, and it's not what they used to toss him into dumpsters for.

He laughs, spinning Blaine around, music thrumming in his bones, and he sings along as Florence wails, "The entrails of the animals / The blood running through / But in order to get to the heart /I think sometimes you'll have to cut through."

Blaine smiles at him, so very beautiful, the best thing Kurt's ever touched, and Kurt reels him back in.


	50. Crush

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron; the play is totally fictional and any similarities to an actual play somewhere is entirely accidental

Warnings: I know nothing about how a play actually works; implied murder; references to past non-con

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; unrequited OMC/Kurt; OFC/OMC and OMC/OMC

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 1030

Point of view: third

Prompt: Author's Choice, Any slash pairing, Getting up the urge to kiss him and then finally going through with it

* * *

Zeke's been watching Kurt since rehearsals started. Kurt's the understudy for Titan (the lead) and cast as Gregoir (the sidekick's little brother, half a page of dialogue and a marvelous death scene), and Zeke is part of the chorus and backup dancers.

Kurt's _amazing_. All Zeke wants in the entire world is enough courage to go up to him and say, "You're extraordinary." Kurt would smile at him, and thank him, and press up on his tiptoes to kiss Zeke on the mouth, and they'd go to dinner, and everything would be _wonderful_.

Zeke stumbles, daydream shattering, as the director, Colin, yells, "Harrison!"

"Sorry!" Zeke calls, giving his neighbor an embarrassed smile. Evan nods back sympathetically.

"From the top!" Colin roars. Zeke focuses and manages to make it all the way through this time.

.

Kurt always has a kind word for the chorus and backup dancers. He talks to everyone about their characters and motivations, and about their real lives, too. He lets Molly cry all over him when her boyfriend breaks up with her a week before Opening Night, and he holds Silas' hair back when food poisoning tries to kill him and he spends ten minutes vomiting into a trash can.

Kurt doesn't yell at people when they mess up, the way Isaac (the lead) and Colin (the director) do, or even Abigail (the love interest) does, all passively-aggressively.

Kurt actually defended Mariah to Abigail, even when the argument went all the way to the top, and he convinced Colin not to fire her.

Zeke's pretty sure that's when his crush started.

.

Two days before Opening Night, Isaac falls down crossing the street and gets tagged by a car. Kurt's understudy takes over Gregoir and Kurt becomes Titan. It's extraordinary to watch Kurt's transformation, and he's a thousand times better than Isaac could ever be.

The play runs for three months; Kurt can't make every show (he works at Vogue!), so his _new _understudy Harry performs sometimes, and for the final week, Isaac's healed up enough to come back. (Every review says that Isaac Taylor was no Kurt Hummel, and Zeke clips out each one.)

After the curtain's close for the final time, Zeke finally summons his courage and taps Kurt on the shoulder backstage, and says, "You're extraordinary, Kurt."

"Thank you, Zeke!" Kurt replies, still glowing from the exhilaration (even though he only played Gregoir in the last show), and Zeke leans in and kisses him.

Kurt pushes him back. "I've got a fiancé," he says sharply. "Zeke, you _know _I've got a fiancé – I talk about him all the time!" He wipes at his mouth, and his eyes are wide.

Zeke says, "I'm sorry! I just thought – " It's not going at all how Zeke had imagined. Kurt should be swooning, and declaring love, and –

"Don't," Kurt says, bringing a hand up to his mouth and backing away. "Zeke, I don't want you near me anymore, okay?"

Zeke nods frantically even though he doesn't understand: it was just a kiss, right? And Kurt has a boyfriend, _Blaine_, who's a doctor or something. Doesn't that mean he's working all the time? How could he possibly be giving Kurt all the attention he deserves?

Kurt vanishes back into the catacombs of the theater and Molly slaps Zeke on the shoulder, saying, "He's got a boyfriend!"

Zeke ducks out of her reach and goes the opposite way. He doesn't see Kurt again.

.

Zeke is walking his brother's corgi, Maximilian, when a man appears next to him. "Hey," the man says, "can we talk for a minute?"

"Uh, sure," Zeke responds, pausing his iPod and tugging at Maximilian when he tries to keep going. "Who are you?"

The man smiles. He's almost half a foot shorter than Zeke, with curly dark hair and gorgeous golden-brown eyes, and he crouches down to rub Maximilian's back. "I'm Blaine," he says, glancing back up at Zeke.

It's almost dusk. The sun hits Blaine's face and Zeke realizes, for a reason he isn't quite sure of, that the park is pretty damn deserted.

"Blaine?" Zeke repeats.

Blaine nods. "My fiancé Kurt told me what you did," he says, smiling a little. Zeke doesn't get the joke, and he's creeped out, and he tugs on the leash again, but Maximilian is wriggling under Blaine's hands, and of course Zach's dog _also _prefers Blaine.

"It was a mistake," Zeke says. "I didn't realize just how _happily _taken Kurt was, okay? You won."

Blaine laughs. "It was never a competition, Mr. Harrison," he says, standing again. "A competition implies there might be some question about the outcome." Maximilian whines, rubbing against his leg, but Blaine keeps all his attention on Zeke.

"Look," Zeke says sharply, yanking on the leash to get Maximilian back to his side, "just tell me what you want, okay?"

Maximilian hurries over, tail and head drooping, and Blaine's gaze flicks to the dog before meeting Zeke's eyes again. "Okay," he says.

.

Kory and Tate jog every morning, then get breakfast together before returning to the madness of their families (Kory's boyfriend and three-year-old daughter, Tate's boyfriend and the boyfriend's five-year-old son). Tate's in the middle of telling Kory about the promotion he's in line for but doesn't actually want (except for the pay increase) when he cuts himself off to say, "Is that a dog?"

Kory follows his gaze to a dog, bloody and dirty, whimpering in the bushes, and freezes mid-stride. "Yes," she says. She carefully walks over, ignoring Tate's commands to leave the dog alone; she's a vet tech and he's an IT guy. She deals with dogs all the time. "Hey, little fella," she croons, kneeling down just in reach. He's terrified and hurt, so he might bite, but by the way he's moving –

"Tate," she says calmly, "call 911. It's not his blood."

Her twin freaks out but obeys.

.

Kory follows up with the detective who interviewed her, but she never does learn who the dead man was, who killed him, or why. The dog, though, was returned to his owner and perfectly fine.

Tate demands they start jogging somewhere else, and Kory doesn't argue, especially when her boyfriend Maksim agrees.


	51. Unbeliever

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: references to murder and hospitalization for mental illness

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; OFC/OMC

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 520

Point of view: third

Prompt: Author's Choice, Author's Choice, don't make a mountain out of a molehill.

* * *

"Look," Carla finally says, exasperated beyond belief, "our neighbors are not _murderers_, Felicia, okay? They're nice guys. Blaine helped me carry my groceries up that day the elevator broke down, and Kurt's a sweetheart. Remember when Roger was a bastard, what was it, a month ago? Kurt talked with me for _hours _about it, and he's the one who convinced me that Roger was just scared of commitment. I'm engaged to a wonderful man because of him!"

"Listen to me!" Felicia whisper-shouts, gaze flicking to the shared wall between their apartment and the Anderson-Hummel's. "Something is weird about them, okay? And Marigold Thompson - "

"Are you kidding me?" Carla demands, shaking her head firmly. "No, Cia. They caught the guy who did that. Kurt wasn't even here, and Blaine had the music blasting all night."

"Carla, I've been reading this book, and the author, he says to listen to your instincts, okay? You're not home often enough to notice, but I – there are some weird things about them, and Ted Bundy was a nice guy, too!" Felicia's eyes get comically wide when she realizes she shouted that last part, and shoot straight to the wall.

"Felicia, listen to yourself," Carla says gently. "This is just like Xavier Martez, you remember him?"

Felicia closes her eyes, nodding slightly.

"You thought he'd stolen our dog and ritualistically slaughtered her to place a curse on our family," Carla continues, still so gently, because she loves her sister, she really does, but Felicia is so tiring sometimes. "Do you remember what actually happened to Lav? She wandered home two days later and had puppies that looked just like the Rivera's dog. Now, I've spoken to both our neighbors and they are good guys, okay? Do I need to call Dr. Ellers?"

Felicia shakes her head. "I guess I've just been watching too much Law & Order," she says quietly.

"Yeah," Carla agrees, scooting down the couch to wrap her arms around her big sister. "Look, can you promise you'll leave them alone? You know what Mom will do if this gets back to her."

Felicia nods again. "I don't wanna go back there, Carla," she whispers, burying her face in Carla's shoulder.

"You won't," Carla promises. "Now, c'mon, let's see who got kicked off Top Shot this week." She keeps her arm around Felicia as she flips through the DVR, and eventually Felicia calms down.

Carla keeps a close eye on her sister for awhile, but Felicia never mentions anything about the neighbors again. She thinks about telling Kurt about it, because he really is the sweetest guy, but she doesn't want him to think her sister's crazy – Felicia is _not _crazy, no matter what their mother says – so she keeps Felicia's imaginative theories to herself.

Three weeks later, the elevator is having trouble _again_, and Blaine helps her carry her groceries up the stairs _again_. Carla can't imagine why Felicia would think either of them could be monsters; maybe she should ban Law & Order from their apartment.

"Thanks," she tells Blaine as she shuts the door behind him.

"Anytime," he says, smiling.


	52. Brother

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov; mentions of murder/bad things happening to animals/violence/arson

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; Cooper/OFC; OFCs/OMCs

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 1740

Point of view: third

Prompt: [S]ince these things run in families, Cooper winds up seeing these traits in one of his own children or grandchildren, and what he would do.

* * *

Cooper marries Natalia on a warm summer day, in a lavish wedding beneath an open sky.

Blaine is his Best Man.

.

Blaine likes Natalia, insomuch as he likes anyone who isn't Kurt. She and Cooper dated for a little over two years, though Cooper kept making excuses for why she couldn't meet his little brother. Blaine worked a lot, apparently. And then his boyfriend was sick.

Blaine might think Cooper was embarrassed by him (or maybe Natalia?), except he knows better.

It doesn't matter. He attends the wedding, gives a marvelous speech, and dances with his lover.

Natalia looks beautiful, Cooper looks happy, and Blaine does not give a rat's ass.

.

Natalia is an editor; she's actually part of the publishing house responsible for Blaine's favorite series. Cooper's settled into being host for the latest reality show craze. They live in Los Angeles and Blaine only sees them on the few holidays he goes home for.

Three years after the wedding, Natalia has their only daughter; four years after that, she has their only son.

If Cooper could find a reasonable explanation, he'd never let Blaine meet his children.

.

Natalia adores Blaine and doesn't understand why Cooper never calls him, or emails him, or sees him at all. Bianca and Marcos love their Uncle Blaine; he might even be their favorite relative, even over Granny, Grampa, Nana, and Pa. Natalia has two sisters who live in Florida, in the same neighborhood all three of them grew up in, with husbands and kids of their own. She loves Tash and Natia (though she hates Tash's husband, and thinks Natia could've done better) and the way Cooper can barely stand Blaine... if he could give a reason, she might understand. But Cooper has no reason, and Bianca thinks the sun rises and sets on Uncle B'ain, and Marcos hero-worships him, though they've met maybe three times in five years.

And Uncle Kurt... Bianca loves him because he always brings pretty clothes, and sits down with her for her games, and Marcos follows him around shyly, asking little questions about cars (_because Uncle Kurt can fix cars, baby, even if he does focus on clothes right now_), and Marcos knows that Daddy is mostly helpless with engines.

Granny and Grampa have all the cool toys, and cookies, and a big yard to run around in. Nana and Pa have a beach twenty feet from their front porch. Aunty Tash and Aunty Tia have kids for Bianca and Marcos to play with. But Uncle Blaine and Uncle Kurt... if given a choice, Bianca and Marcos will choose them, and _every time_, Cooper winces, and he refuses explain why.

By the time Marcos is four, Natalia has given up understanding her husband's (non)relationship with his brother and brother-in-law. Natalia adores both of them, her children adore them - if Cooper can't even try to explain, she doesn't care. She'd know if something was wrong, and her children love them. What does she need to know but that?

.

Natalia's latest manuscript is about women who killed their families. She tries to leave it at the office, all the darkness and filth, but she can't quite manage it. Cooper is at work (there was an emergency with two of the contestants) and the kids are at the sitter's, thankfully, and Natalia tries calling both her sisters, but neither picks up, and she tries calling her mother, and her best friend is on a round-the-world cruise, and finally, sobbing, she calls Blaine.

"Talia," he says soothingly, "breathe in with me, c'mon, in and out, that's it, keep up with me, in and out, in and out, that's it, sweetheart, it's alright." Slowly, painfully slowly, she feels herself calming down, and she's embarrassed about the whole thing.

"Now," Blaine says, still in that soothing tone he must've learned at the clinic, "tell me what's wrong."

Cooper hates hearing about the books Natalia edits. He says they're creepy and horrifying, but Natalia knows that Blaine devours true-crime books. _He_ says they're fascinating. So she tells him about Adam Lachek's newest book, about wives and mothers and sisters killing everyone they're meant to care for, and how it's been messing with her mind.

Blaine calmly and gently asks her, "Do you think you're anything like those women?"

"No!" she replies, horrified at the mere thought.

"There you go, then," he says. "But take a break from that manuscript for a few days. Visit with your kids - it's summertime, Talia, and you live in LA."

"You're right," she murmurs, taking a deep breath. "Thank you, Blaine. I just..."

"I understand," he assures her. "Don't worry about it. Do you feel better now?"

"I do," she says. "I... good evening, have a good night. Give Kurt a hug from me and the kids."

"I'll do that," he chuckles. "Good night, Natalia."

She keeps holding the phone after he hangs up, eyes closed, breathing in and breathing out. Then she calls her boss and takes the next three days off.

.

When Bianca is eight, she pushes a boy down the stairs. She cries and says she didn't mean to, it was an accident, they were playing too close and she didn't know.

When Bianca is nine, she sets a girl's hair on fire and explains tearfully that Hettie had been mean.

When Bianca is ten, Cooper calls Blaine and doesn't tell Natalia why.

.

It should be Bianca's first day of sixth grade, but the Headmistress of Renaissance Academy asked that she not return, and Cooper's been keeping her close since the neighbor's dog went missing. He took a leave of absence from Dance Off and stayed home with the kids, and Natalia isn't sure what's going on, because the stairs incident was an accident, and Hettie, while terrified, wasn't hurt.

Natalia is at work, Marcos at kindergarten, and Cooper home with Bianca.

When Natalia gets home with Marcos, Kurt is upstairs with Bianca, apparently having a long talk. Blaine and Cooper are sitting in the den, on opposite ends of the couch.

"Uncle B'ain!" Marcos shouts, running over and throwing himself into Blaine's lap.

"Hey, buddy," Blaine says, swinging him up. "What've you been up to?"

Cooper is tense, glaring at Blaine; Natalia says, "Blaine, what are you doing here? Did we have something planned?"

"Oh, no," Blaine says, smiling at her. "But Kurt and I had time off, so I thought, why not come see my darling niece and nephew?" He tickles Marcos until Marcos shrieks with laughter, and Cooper's hands are clenched into fists, so hard that his knuckles are white.

"Where is Kurt?" Natalia asks, setting her purse down and sitting next to Cooper.

"Upstairs with Bianca," Blaine says, dropping Marcos (carefully) over the side of the couch. "He called it a girl talk." Blaine shrugs and then catches Marcos when he lunges back over the side, landing again in Blaine's lap.

.

Blaine and Kurt spend the night. After his talk with Bianca (which Cooper has promised to explain later), Kurt plays with Marcos, to make sure he doesn't feel left out. Bianca is swinging back and forth between sullen and excited, and Blaine talks with Natalia about her latest manuscript (the second in a true crime series about mass murderers), and Cooper listens as Kurt complains about his co-star in his soon-to-premiere musical.

All in all, it's a nice visit. Marcos cries when Blaine and Kurt walk out the door, and Bianca runs up to her room to hide her own tears.

"They should visit more," Natalia tells Cooper. "Now, what is going on?"

"After dinner," Cooper says. "Please."

"Fine," she says. "Marcos, baby, come on - you'll be late for school."

.

After Bianca and Marcos are in bed, Natalia sits next to Cooper on the couch and says, "Tell me what's going on with our daughter, Cooper."

He hesitates, fingers catching the hem of her shirt. "Bianca," he says. "She... you have to have noticed what she's been doing, Talia."

"She didn't mean to push that boy down the stairs," Natalia says. "And the girl's hair - that was just self-defense."

Cooper shakes his head. "I called Blaine because..." He hesitates again, looking down at his hands, pulling them back into his lap. "She'll be good," he says quietly. "Kurt explained the necessity of - " He cuts himself off, then says, "Don't worry, Talia. Nothing's going on."

She nods, lifting his chin so that he meets her gaze. "Our daughter is a happy, lovely girl, Cooper Anderson," she says.

"I know," he murmurs.

.

Bianca calms down after Kurt and Blaine's visit. She's accepted back at Renaissance Academy on a probationary basis, and focuses on her studies, and she emails back and forth with her Uncle Kurt.

Natalia reads a few, just to be safe, and it's all talk about some game. Harmless.

.

After Bianca, Marcos is a breeze. He likes science and machines, and knows from a young age that he wants to be a mechanical engineer. He's such a happy child.

Cooper maintains constant contact with his brother; Natalia is glad to see that their relationship is improving, even if it did take Bianca acting out to make it happen.

Cooper's moved up to producer and casting director for FOX, and Natalia has finally started researching for her own novel.

Bianca applies for and is accepted to NYU; she asks if she can live with her uncles and cousin in New York. When Natalia passes that message on to her brother-in-law, Kurt says, "Of course she can come live her, sweetie. Blaine and I have plenty of room; Kyle is doing well, and I think he'd like having a sister for a little while."

"Oh, that's a relief," Natalia says. "I'm going to worry no matter what, but that's a load off."

"I'll start cleaning up the guest room for our favorite niece," Kurt says.

.

After dropping Bianca off with Blaine and Kurt, Natalia sobs all the way to the airport. Cooper holds her hand tightly, arms wrapped around her, and she doesn't think she's meant to hear him murmur, "I hope we've done the right thing."

"Of course we have," Natalia whispers, resting her head on Cooper's shoulder. "Our baby is happy, and her uncles will help her, and she's growing up." She closes her eyes, trying to stop the tears.

At least she has Marcos for a few more years.


	53. Reunion

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 500

Point of view: third

Prompt: Author's choice, any, I look a little bit older, I look a little bit colder.

* * *

Kurt and Blaine receive their invitations to Dalton's Class of 2012 ten year reunion on the same day.

Blaine asks, "You wanna?" while Kurt examines his invitation with an adorable frown on his face.

"I always said I'd ignore McKinley after graduating," Kurt says, looking up. "But I enjoyed my time at Dalton, and we're both successful and happily married." He smiles. "Let's attend and dazzle them, love."

.

Kurt's understudy takes his role for a few days and Blaine uses three of his vacation days. They fly to Columbus, visit with Blaine's parents for a few hours, spend a night in Lima with Kurt's family, and then go to Westerville for the reunion.

Blaine takes Kurt's hand and leads him to the staircase where they met, and Kurt laughs, pulling him in for a kiss. "I don't understand why you always say you're bad at romance," Kurt murmurs as they separate.

"Kurt, Blaine!" a voice calls. "I know that Thad said you'd RVSPd, but I can't believe you're here."

They turn to see Jeff, and the rest of the Warblers following him, from the ballroom where the reunion is set.

"Hey, guys!" Blaine exclaims, hurrying over. "Can you believe it's been ten years? Just yesterday we were singin' 'Teenage Dream' to the worst spy in the world!" He laughs and they do, too: Thad, Trent, Zach, Anthony, Corey, Nick, and Jeff.

"I'm sure there was, at some point, someone worse than me," Kurt says primly, stepping up next to Blaine and suffering numerous slaps on the back and enthusiastic hugs. He smiles warmly at them all, Blaine's friends who welcomed him to Dalton and helped make him one of the most popular boys at school, a truly unexpected turn of events at the time.

"C'mon, everyone's waiting to see you," Corey urges. "You have to sing!"

Blaine grins, wide and bright. "Of course we're gonna sing!"

.

The reunion is a success, of course; Blaine drags Kurt up for a few duets, and the Warblers perform, too, and it's like high-school again: the Warblers were the most popular students, and Blaine the most popular of all.

Everyone wants to talk to Blaine, see what he's been up to. Kurt knows that being Blaine's boyfriend granted him a great deal of popularity towards the end of junior year, and that he earned it himself in senior year.

He glances around the ballroom, at the men who used to be the boys who welcomed him, at the men who used to be the boys who never saw what lurked right in the middle of them. Blaine is laughing amidst the crowd, holding court, and he meets Kurt's eyes with a bright grin.

For a moment, Kurt is back on those stairs, looking at the most beautiful boy in the world.

Dalton is where his life began.

Blaine turns back to the men who used to be the boys who worshipped him, and Kurt laughs, sauntering over to take his place beside Blaine.


	54. Blood

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; kid!fic; coldblooded, fairly graphic murder

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; Cooper/OFC

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 865

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any, "Having fun yet?"

* * *

Blaine likes his niece and nephew more than he likes Finn's sons. He doesn't love them. Cooper calls and visits as infrequently as possible and Blaine's fine with that.

When Blaine's niece is seven, Kurt murmurs, "Have you noticed anything interesting about Bianca?"

Blaine shrugs. His niece is a little girl and he barely knows her.

Kurt 'hmms' and returns to his sketchbook.

.

Kyle is twelve when Kurt tells Blaine that Bianca is coming to live with them while attending NYU. Blaine doesn't really care, unless it interrupts their game.

"It'll be fine, sweetie," Kurt assures him. Kyle's out with friends and Kurt finally got the guestroom – Bianca's room – perfect, and Bianca will be arriving tomorrow. They've already talked about all this: if having and raising a son didn't interfere, having someone else live with them won't either.

Blaine says, "Cooper thinks she's like us."

Kurt laughs. "She isn't."

.

Bianca is a beautiful girl growing into a beautiful woman. She's going into law at NYU, and she's absolutely sure about what she wants, and Kurt is still her favorite person in the world.

Kyle follows Bianca around like a puppy, but she treats him exactly how she treats her little brother: like a pest that she occasionally does nice things for.

Kurt knows that Bianca would die to keep her little brother safe. Would leap in the way of a bullet aimed at her mother, or shove her father out of the path of a car.

Kurt also knows that Bianca felt true remorse for the things she did as a child. She grew out of those destructive, violent tendencies with puberty. Cooper's worried about nothing. His daughter is nothing like Blaine, or Kurt himself.

Kyle, too, for all that he has Kurt's blood in his veins, is nothing like his fathers. He reminds Kurt of his mother, what he remembers of her. Kyle is gentle and kind and funny, and thinks the best of everyone. He'd be horrified if he knew what his fathers do three times a year, and have for almost thirty years. He has dozens of friends and adores all his cousins – he has his grandmother's spirit and Grampa's heart.

Bianca will be no more of a hindrance than Kyle when it comes to the game

.

"Uncle Blaine and I have a date tomorrow night," Kurt tells Bianca three weeks after she moves in. "We usually send Kyle off to one his friends."

Bianca would clearly prefer to say something else, but instead she says, "I can watch him, Uncle Kurt, it's fine."

"Are you sure?" he asks.

She nods. "It'll be fun."

Kurt smiles. "Thanks, Bianca."

.

Blaine slams Nick Southerly into the ground and stabs him until his arm gets tired.

"Feel better?" Kurt asks, carefully leaning over to take the knife.

"Yeah," Blaine says, sliding off the body. "Work has been so frustrating, babe. And I can't – Mick is too involved in the neighborhood for me to get rid of him. It's… frustrating." He leans down to shove the knife into Nick's glazed eye instead of handing it to Kurt.

"I'm sorry, love," Kurt murmurs, stepping in close to wrap his arms around Blaine. "I have a backup, if you wanna do it again tonight."

"No," Blaine says. "We have a date tonight. We should go out and eat fancy and bring back something nice for the kids, right?"

Kurt gives him a frank, disbelieving look. "Really?" he asks

Blaine laughs. "No," he says again. "I wanna see you get your hands red."

.

Kyle and Bianca are asleep on the couch, leaning against each other, when Kurt and Blaine get back. Kyle hasn't had his growth spurt yet, so Blaine picks him up to carry to his room while Kurt wakes up Bianca enough that he can steer her to hers.

"They're good kids," Blaine tells Kurt as they climb into their bed.

"They are," Kurt agrees.

He likes Bianca just as much as he likes Finn's boys (well, a little better, because she's not quite as loud), but he loves Kyle like he loves Dad.

He's never had to choose between Dad and Blaine, thankfully. A lot of his nightmares over the years were about making that choice. Since Kyle, that exact same nightmare has been a recurring theme.

Kurt knows that Blaine doesn't love Kyle the way he does – but, thank that dwarf on the dark side of the moon, Kyle has no idea. He loves his dad just as much as he loves his papa, and has no clue that his dad doesn't feel the same.

.

Bianca brings all her class troubles to Kurt, and Blaine doesn't care. He prefers it that way. She's a good girl and he likes her well enough, but he doesn't really feel any emotional connection to her at all.

Kyle, on the other hand, runs to Blaine with everything. He looks like Kurt. He kinda acts like the mask Kurt used to wear, back in the beginning, before Blaine realized the mask existed.

Blaine doesn't love his son. He does his best, though, to make sure Kyle never realizes that, because Kyle is the first person he's ever _wanted_ to love.


	55. Cake

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; discussions of murder; a disgusting amount of fluff

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine; Burt/Carole

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 335

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any, "It tastes like marshmallows." / "Yay!" / "I hate marshmallows." / "You're no fun."

* * *

It's Kurt's thirtieth birthday next week and Blaine's determined to make him the best cake in the history of the world. Kurt's dad is up from Lima but Finn stayed with the garage and Carole couldn't get off work; they're taking Burt out to a fancy place and then back to their apartment for desert and presents.

Of course, the _best_ present has to wait until Burt's gone, but the cake can be shared.

So far, Kurt hasn't liked any of Blaine's efforts. Blaine's compiled thirteen years of watching Kurt eat different kinds of cakes, but he's still not sure what Kurt would _really_ love.

.

"You kids are doin' good for yourselves," Burt says after dinner, eating the perfectly portioned piece of cake Kurt let him have. "I'm proud of you boys."

"Thank you, Dad," Kurt says, looking up from his piece.

Blaine's waiting for him to try it before eating his. He watches in anticipation as Kurt carefully slices into it with his fork and lifts the fork to his mouth and daintily bites into it.

"It tastes," Kurt pronounces with a solemn dread, "like _marshmallows_."

"Yay!" Blaine cheers, raising his arms in the touchdown sign.

"Blaine," Kurt says, "I _hate_ marshmallows."

"You're no fun," Blaine pouts at him. Burt laughs.

.

"What do you want tonight?" Blaine asks. He's made half a dozen plans depending on Kurt's answer.

"Tonight," Kurt replies, "is all up to you, love." He smiles, peppering kisses all over Blaine's face, and then he murmurs, "You arrange everything and once it's all done, I get to play."

Kurt usually craves control. But if he wants his present this year to be surrendering it to Blaine – well, Blaine has a plan for that, too.

"Alright, babe," he says, pulling Kurt in for a long, deep kiss. When they separate to breathe, Blaine tells him, "Put on clothes you don't mind losing."

Nodding, Kurt grins his excited little grin and dances to their room. Blaine follows, matching him step for step.


	56. Predator

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU; contemplations of murder; implied sexual assault

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 465

Point of view: third

Prompt: Author's choice; any; go home, girl

* * *

Kurt's walking home from a rehearsal that went way over. He knows that Blaine's already in bed, exhausted from classes, the clinic, and the hotline he's not quite ready to let go of.

Kurt has honestly been unable to figure out what, exactly, Blaine gets out of the hotline. He talks people down from the edge, but he never goes after any of them. It might just be part of Blaine's camouflage, but Kurt's not sure.

Whatever it is, Blaine's been working too hard lately, and Kurt's fitting in hours in-between costume fittings and rehearsals, and Isabelle's already said his attention seems to be elsewhere. He really does enjoy fashion, and he doesn't want to let it go entirely - but he also really loves the stage. And if he has to choose... well, he spent four years preparing for musical theater. For _Broadway_. But designing has also been such a large part of his life.

Either way, he's too exhausted to make a decision tonight. He should've called a cab, but he thought the walk might help clear his head so he doesn't messily murder Thom, the ego-tripping, delusional lead. He really could just claw that man's eyes out. Or rip his balls off, whichever.

That's when Kurt sees her. She's darting along, head down, coat closed tight, tears on her face. She stumbles, catches herself, and continues on, freezing for just a moment when she sees Kurt.

It's like a bolt of lightning along Kurt's spine. She's a tiny little lamb and he's the big bad wolf, and he could take her right now. See how loud she'd scream. See how red her blood would look on her pale skin, already bruised.

This must be how Blaine felt, when he saw that boy, his first. Knowing with a look. _Wanting_, so sharply, so breathlessly.

He follows her for a block, going completely the wrong direction, before he regains his senses.

No. This is _not_ how Kurt does things. He's fussed at Blaine more than once for doing something like this. Kurt plans it all ahead of time. Seeing someone like this – no matter how much he wants, this would be a stupid mistake. He knows nothing about this girl. Who would miss her, who would look for her. How to make it so no one questioned –

_But she's already hurt_, the predator in him whispers. _Look at her… someone else is already primed for the blame_.

No, Kurt decides, turning back. He's too tired. He isn't at full capacity, and nothing is set up, and he's not wearing clothes he's willing to lose.

"Go home, little girl," he says softly, hurrying home himself.

(In two years, Kurt sees that girl again, lit up by a bright sun.

He has time.)


	57. Pets

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Byron

Warnings: AU

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 610

Point of view: third

Prompt: any, any, The dog was created especially for children. He is the god of frolic.

* * *

When Kyle is four, he asks for a dog. A Great Dane, specifically, so that he can ride it around like a horse.

They live in a fairly good-sized apartment, but there is no room for a dog of that size - or dog of any size, actually, Kurt carefully and gently explains to his son.

.

Finn's sons have a dog.

Kyle's best friend Dana has a dog.

Kurt starts taking his son to the dog park once a week, to try and get his dog fix.

It doesn't work; Kyle's desire for a dog grows ever stronger.

.

"We don't have the time or attention for a dog," Kurt tells Blaine.

"I know," Blaine says, rubbing at Kurt's shoulder.

"It would get in the way, and require so much training. You know that Kyle sure wouldn't be taking care of it," Kurt continues, pulling the comforter up over them both. "And you - you'd probably learn how to ignore the barking. It'd all fall onto me, and I don't have that kind of time right now."

"I know, babe," Blaine says.

.

Kyle wants a dog.

He gets a cat. He's hesitant, at first, but she's a calm tabby, and she doesn't mind being carted around like a sack of flour, and she draps herself over Kurt's lap to purr, and she avoids Blaine.

Kyle names her Alayos, which he informs his fathers means _beautiful _in the language he and Dana made up. Kurt tells him it fits perfectly.

.

Alayos dies of old age, gently in her sleep, when Kyle is sixteen.

Kurt holds his son while he cries.

.

When Kyle is twenty-three, in a tiny apartment a few blocks from his parents, he gets a dog. She's yappy little thing but he takes the time to train her, and he walks her every day, and her name is Daria. He loves her.

Whenever his fathers visit, Papa pats Daria on the head and ignores her. She avoids Dad, though, unless he specifically invites her over, and then she bounces all around him.

"She's no Ayalos," Dad says one day while Daria is barking her fool head off at the window. "Ayalos was much quieter."

Kyle laughs. "You don't get dogs if you want quiet, Dad."

"Clearly," Dad says. Then he raises his voice to add sharply, "_Daria_, here."

Daria hurries to him and lays down on his feet. She's never so obedient for Kyle, but he also doesn't mind a few minutes of barking.

"Good girl," Dad murmurs, stroking her ears.

Papa walks out of the bathroom and says, "We can go now."

Kyle tells Daria, "Get in your kennel," and grabs a piece of lunchmeat from the fridge. She rushes into it and spins in place, tail wagging up a storm as Kyle gives her the turkey.

"I'm glad she's not too spoiled," Papa says.

Laughing, Kyle locks the door. "She's my kid, but I'm not going to let her be the alpha, Papa."

"Good," Dad says. "Now, where are you taking us to dinner?"

.

Kurt never wanted a dog because of the noise and the mess. It was best that Blaine never had a dog, at least as a child. As an adult, he didn't want the bother.

Dad used to ask Kurt if he wanted something to liven the house up a bit and Kurt always said no. Blaine used to ask his parents for a dog (but not for companionship or play) and they refused, even when Cooper begged, too.

Kyle seems very happy with a dog, Kurt thinks, but he's glad the boy has space of his own for the noise and the mess.


	58. Grief

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: Kurt, Blaine, and Cooper aren't mine; title from Byron.

Warnings: character death; death of a child; discussion of coldblooded murder; grief

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, Cooper/OFC

Wordcount: 830

Point of view: third

Prompt: If something bad ever happened to Cooper's family, either or both to his wife and children - if he would ever, if he *could* ever be pushed so far that he would go to Kurt&Blaine and outright ask or carefully Not-Ask for their help.

* * *

Marcos dies when he's fifteen. Drunk driver. Dead on impact. Julian Evers stumbles away with bruised ribs and a mild concussion.

Julian Evers then walks away with a slap on the wrist because of a technicality.

Cooper calls his brother.

.

Everyone flies in for the funeral; Bianca takes a semester off from NYU. Natalia can't stop crying, and Cooper's not any better.

Tash and Kurt take over everything.

.

Four months after, when it's clear that Julian Evers won't be punished by anything worse than the guilt he already drowned in booze, Cooper sits in Marcos' room, in the chair by Marcos' desk, and he calls his little brother, the little brother he's never liked and hates just as much as he loves, and he wonders if asking what he's about to ask is enough to damn him.

Marcos is gone, isn't coming back – and Cooper could kill his little boy's killer, he really could, but he doesn't know _how_.

He wants it to hurt. He wants it to last. Not quick, not clean. Not merciful.

"Please," he says, eyes closed, holding onto the plush shark Kurt once gave to Marcos, one of the few toys to survive. Marcos loved the damn thing.

"Of course, Coop," Blaine replies, from all the way across the country.

Like it's easy.

Cooper ends the call and thinks, _Maybe it is_.

.

Kyle is at Tommy's, and Bianca is at home with her mother, and Blaine turns to look at Kurt, curled up on the loveseat with _The Once and Future King_, and Blaine says, "My brother wants us to kill a man."

Kurt doesn't look up. "The one who ran over his son?"

Blaine nods.

"And he wants it to hurt?" Kurt asks, turning a page.

Blaine nods again.

Kurt places a bookmark and closes the book.

.

Because Marcos was his nephew, because he knew the boy when he was young, because Marcos used to follow him around and ask hesitant questions about engines, because Marcos was _his_ - Kurt makes it intricate and yet elegantly simply.

The man didn't mean to kill Marcos. That doesn't matter.

Because Marcos was a chubby little boy who toddled after Kurt and mumbled silly little questions, and he used to laugh for Blaine to toss him into the air like a plane, and he had his whole future charted out.

Kurt didn't love him, but Kurt liked him a lot. _Blaine_ liked him a lot.

Accidents happen every day. Horrible things happen to good people.

"Tell me," Blaine says, sitting on the bed in his brother's guestroom, down the hall from where Marcos used to sleep.

Kurt tells him.

Cooper doesn't ask.

.

It's barely a blip on anyone's radar when Julian Evers goes missing half a year after he kills that poor kid.

Blaine and Kurt spend a week with Cooper, Natalia, and Bianca; Kyle is with Tommy's family so he can attend school like normal, though he begged to come along.

Cooper doesn't ask, but on their last day there, Blaine tells him, "It's done," sipping his coffee, leaning against the counter.

Cooper really had thought it'd make him feel better, to know that drunk fucker was dead. He's imagined - _dreamt_ - so many ways to make that bastard hurt, to feel as broken and destroyed as Cooper does. But he doesn't feel better. He still feels hollow.

"Thank you," he says anyway, because at least now no more parents will suffer.

.

When Cooper is dying of old age, wasting away, he thinks about asking Blaine. _What'd you ever do to Julian Evers?_ he'd say, _Did it hurt?_

He's imagined a thousand different answers Blaine might give, but he never quite works up the nerve.

A man killed his son, and he called in a monster to kill the man.

It didn't make him feel any better – he knows now, staring Death in the face, that nothing could have _ever_ made him feel better, not with his son crushed on the concrete – but he also never, not once in almost fifty years, has regretted saying, _Blaine, please, he took my son from me. I can't… I don't want him alive anymore._

Blaine said, _Of course, Coop_, and Cooper could grieve in peace. He never mentioned it to anyone; he never spoke of his son at all. Natalia had tried talking it out, the despair and rage and grief, but Cooper couldn't bear it. Pretty soon, everyone knew not to mention Marcos.

Bianca accused him of trying to pretend like Marcos had never been, but Cooper wasn't doing that. He had no idea how to explain, so he said nothing.

He said nothing about the man whose death he caused, the man who killed his son, the man whose body no one ever found.

On his deathbed, he doesn't call his brother. Instead, he thinks about seeing his son again.

.

Kurt told Blaine, waiting for Julian Evers to wake up, "Think about him killing _our_ son."

Blaine did.


	59. Time

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: Kurt, Blaine, and Cooper aren't mine; title from Byron.

Warnings: creepy

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Wordcount: 85

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any(/any), any, someday the mountain might get 'em but the law never will

* * *

There have been so many close calls over the years, brushes with the law that should've ended in widening eyes and drawn guns, in handcuffs and being shoved into backseats, in cages and interviews and yelling, in the book being thrown at them, in headlines across the country -

But Blaine is so charming, and Kurt so soothing, and they're such _nice_ boys, such _wonderful _men, of course there's nothing wrong here.

Nothing at all.

.

No. The law will never catch them.

Time will.


	60. Tragedy

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: Kurt, Blaine, & Cooper aren't mine; title from Byron.

Warnings: mentions of violence/tragedy; outside pov

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, OMC/OFC

Wordcount: 885

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, Any, "And they say I'm the weird one."

* * *

Kyle's best friend Tommy's dad is in jail for getting in a bar fight and shoving someone too hard. The man landed wrong, hit his head, and died.

Tommy's dad had been an Army Ranger, and he should've known better than to get in a fight with a drunk civilian, no matter what the man said about Tommy's mom.

Tommy visits his dad every week, and he'll be getting out soon. Kyle's not sure what to think - it _was _an accident. But Tommy's dad killed someone.

How's he supposed to feel about that?

.

"You feel sad," Papa says when he asks. "It's very sad that Tommy's father accidently ended the life of someone he never meant to. You feel compassion because the guilt must terrible for the man."

That, Kyle can do.

.

Kyle's girlfriend Dana has an older sister she hasn't seen in almost twenty years. The older sister is much older; she was in high-school when Dana was born. Dana always explains that they have different dads, and their mom was very young, whenever anyone asks about her sister and the very wide age gap.

Kyle doesn't think it's that weird; Uncle Cooper is a decade older than Dad. He was almost in high-school when Dad was born.

Dana doesn't talk about her sister that much, and very few people ever ask.

Dana's sister was babysitting this kid, once, she tells Kyle one night, three weeks after graduation. They've been friends since pre-K and dating for two years.

_Willa was babysitting a neighbor's kid,_ Dana says, head tucked into Kyle's chest. He doesn't interrupt, just listens. _There was... she was on the phone with her boyfriend and the kid was upstairs, and there was this noise. She - her boyfriend had just confessed to sleeping with her friend, so she didn't check._ Dana hesitates, fingers clenching on Kyle's shirt. He keeps quiet, so she continues, _The kid, he couldn't have been more than five, Kyle, and he'd fallen in the bathroom. Hit his head on tub. Even if she'd checked right away, even if she'd **been** there - she couldn't have done anything. But she... I don't remember Willa any other way except **broken**._

Dana sobs for the rest of the night, and Kyle just holds her.

.

"Why is it everyone I care about has some sort of tragedy in their lives?" Kyle asks Dad. Tommy and Dana, the two most important people – his best friend and the girl he's pretty sure he's gonna marry someday. Tommy's father is quiet, now that he's free. Tommy's told Kyle that he's different from the boisterous man from his childhood. And Dana's poor sister…

Dad shrugs. "Everyone's got tragedy in their lives," he says, glancing up from _The Gift of Fear_, Papa's birthday gift.

"I don't," Kyle argues.

Dad raises an eyebrow. "Do you _want _tragedy in your life?" he asks. "And what would you call Marcos? And Alayos, too – you were ripped up by her death."

Marcos. Kyle sucks in a deep breath, because he'd _forgotten_. How could he forget? That's… "I'm a terrible person," he says. And Alayos, it still hurts, that she's not there purring beside him anymore.

"No, you're not," Dad says, shaking his head. "You barely knew Marcos. Tommy and Dana's tragedies seem more immediate to you because you deal with them almost every day, you _see _how they're affected. Bianca doesn't live here anymore, and she kept her grief quiet anyway."

"But – " Kyle tries, because does a cat really compare to a cousin? Dad shakes his head again.

"_Everyone _has tragedy," Dad says. "Just because it's not readily apparent doesn't mean it's not there. Maybe someone has suffered more than someone else – but you never know what a person has been through just by looking at them." He pauses, so Kyle nods.

"I," he says. "Thanks, Dad."

He wonders what tragedy is in his dad's past. Papa, too. He knows there was some severe bullying – Papa had come down _hard _on Kyle during middle school, when he made fun of a couple kids. Kyle got past it pretty quick, and teachers started enforcing the no-bullying policy they'd just been preaching about before.

All Kyle's grandparents are still alive, and his aunts and uncles, and cousins (except Marcos, and it still aches that he'd forgotten that, even for a minute).

"Aren't you late?" Dad asks, turning a page in his book and smiling down at it.

"Shit!" Kyle yelps and hurries upstairs to change.

Dana does _not _like it when he's tardy, and he has to get all the way across town.

Dad calls after him, "You might as well stop for flowers – there's no way you'll be on time anyway."

"Thanks, Dad!" he shouts back down the stairs. He knows Dad heard the sarcasm when he laughs.

.

A cousin he barely knew and a cat he adored, weighed next to a father who accidently killed a man and an older sister who was responsible when a little kid died.

Kyle is lucky, he thinks, flipping through a photo album with Dana. He plans to call Tommy tomorrow, see if he's up for a movie.

Whatever tragedy _is_ in his parents' lives, it hasn't touched him, and he's not sure if it's unfair for him to be grateful – but he is.


	61. Survivor

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron.

Warnings: No Glee characters appear. Lots of grief/mourning/bad things implied; outside pov

Pairings: OMC/OFC

Wordcount: 605

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any, _I don't care if your world is ending today / cause I wasn't invited to it anyway_

Note: you might want to reread chapter 34

* * *

When George doesn't come back from the gym in time for dinner, Madeline isn't worried, at first. He'd told her he might be going out with the boys tonight, anyway - Rob, Ollie, and Tad, friends from HR, the only ones who stuck by him through the witch-hunt.

It's when he doesn't make it home before Ryan's nightly call that Madeline worries.

.

Rob tells her that George never made it to the restaurant. George hasn't answered or returned any of her calls.

She reports him missing, terrified and heartsick, because it's like when Adelaide vanished their senior year – they were supposed to meet at the mall to shop for matching Halloween costumes (the only time in five years they'd actually _wanted _their outfits to match, the best day of their lives was when Mom quit insisting they dress identical), but Adelaide never arrived.

The entire town searched for her, but Madeline never saw her twin again.

And now her husband is missing, thirty years later.

Madeline wonders, waiting to see the officer who will interview her, if she's cursed.

.

Ryan is away on a story. When he calls for his nightly check-in, she doesn't tell him his father is missing. This is his chance to make it big. This is his chance to become somebody.

If George is found… she'll tell Ryan then.

.

Ollie stops by three days after George's disappearance, so they can try and figure out if something was weird the past few weeks. Some sort of foreshadowing. Something different that didn't seem important at the time.

Officer Andrews already went over everything with Madeline, and she thinks he took it seriously – but no signs of foulplay, and a middle-aged stockbroker who retired before he could get fired for fraud charges… Madeline knows how it looks. But she also knows her husband. He'd only stay away if _something _was holding him there.

She and Ollie can't think of anything.

.

When Ryan calls three weeks later, Madeline can't hide it anymore. She's cried every night George has been gone, she has no inspiration for her sculptures, and George's dog refuses to leave the house for a walk.

Ryan catches the first plane home and doesn't yell at her for lying.

.

George took up boxing to get in better shape. Also, he wanted something to do that might help with all his pent-up rage.

The last place anyone saw him was the gym, but none of the patrons or workers can think of anything odd that might be connected with his disappearance.

.

When Madeline checks in with Officer Andrews, she's not surprised to be informed that George's case has been shelved as cold.

Heartbroken and furious, yes, but not surprised.

Oreo, the mutt George had rescued as a puppy and raised himself, still refuses to leave the house. Ryan was demoted for cutting his trip short. Madeline hasn't made a thing in months.

Her world has ended and she feels like no one really notices, much less cares.

.

Madeline is ninety-three when Ryan visits her at the home, her oldest grandbaby with him, and kneels next to her chair with a groan, and says, "Mama, they found Dad."

"Where?" she asks, heart in her throat.

Amelia, Ryan's eldest daughter, sobs, hands covering her mouth. Tears are pouring down Ryan's face, and he takes Madeline's hands in his.

Madeline has always known only death could make George stay away. Having it confirmed doesn't make anything better.

.

They bury Madeline next to the coffin that's finally holding her husband.

They never do figure out who killed George, or why.

Ryan wishes he'd never learned how his father died.


	62. Control

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron.

Warnings: sexual assault and attempted non-con; violence & torture; implied kink

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, OMC/Kurt

Wordcount: 1035

Point of view: third

Prompt: Kurt kills someone in self-defence. Where he's assaulted (sexually) and he has to defend himself and ends with a kill. Where he can't control the situation, where it's different to every other time. I'd like to see how he reacts then

* * *

Two days after his thirty-third birthday, Kurt was nearly raped for the second time in his life. Blaine was working late and Kurt had gone out with a group of friends from his current play (and he'd very nearly convinced Ty to produce the first part of his Serial Killers in Love trilogy [he was working on the name, okay, _Blaine_]). Kurt wasn't even hunting for a new playmate; their surrogate, Lynn, was four months pregnant and Kurt had informed Blaine that they could do _nothing_ to draw attention until after their son was born. Blaine had grumbled, but Kurt had waited until he was sated to let him know.

Kurt was at a bar with his castmates, two producers, and the director. He was dancing with pretty boys and handsome men and giggling girls and laughing women. He was having a good time, happy with life (a beautiful husband and a son on the way, a successful play he's the second lead in, and his own play about to be produced [he's fairly sure]) – what he _wasn't_ was watchful.

He stumbled out of the crowd on the dancefloor, running on three hours of sleep in a forty-eight hour period, needing to use the restroom very badly. He also really needed to go home, crawl into bed, and wait for Blaine. He decided to let Jon and Edie know once he finished his business.

The first Kurt knew of The Man, The Man had pressed him into the hallway wall and was muttering, "Hey, baby," breath hot on his ear.

It wasn't fear shooting through him – he'd swear to that. (_Lie, lie, lie_, chanted his mind, hands on his hips that weren't Blaine's.) "Baby, baby," The Man muttered, hands roaming, and it took a moment for Kurt's self-defense lessons to kick in, and The Man's grip tightened, Kurt slamming back into the wall.

"No, baby, don't fight yet," The Man slurred, biting down on Kurt's neck, fingers fumbling at the same belt he'd wrapped around Blaine's wrists for his birthday present two days ago.

_Biting down on Kurt's neck._

Kurt panicked in a way he hadn't in – ever. Even with Karofsky. He felt like he couldn't breathe, and The Man laughed into his throat, leaning back far enough to spin Kurt around.

Which was his mistake. Kurt's panic spiraled down into his cold, calculating rage, and now he had room to move, his mind calming enough to strike.

The Man was drunk, and coasting on some sort of high, and Kurt wasn't a scared little boy just trying to survive. He hadn't been that boy in a very long time.

Kurt doesn't have any of his weapons on him, and The Man was still laughing, still fumbling at Kurt, and Kurt lashed out at him.

"Kurt!" Edie shouted, turning down the hallway. "Oh, shit!"

He barely heard her, blood rushing in his ears, music thrumming through his bones.

.

The Man was named Rodney Gallagher. He died on the way to the hospital.

It was a clear case of self defense (and, it turned out, Rodney Gallagher's DNA solved three open sexual assault cases), so Kurt wasn't charged for anything.

Blaine took him home and didn't say anything when Kurt spent over an hour in the shower. He lay silently next to Kurt in their bed, waiting for Kurt to make the first move.

Kurt did, when he rolled over into Blaine, so Blaine wrapped himself around his husband.

.

All of Kurt's friends tried to comfort him, to be there for him, to assure him it wasn't his fault and he shouldn't feel bad for defending himself.

Kurt thanked them, and let them hug him, and kicked ass on stage. Dad freaked out and would've traveled, if his health or Kurt permitted it; instead, Kurt and Blaine went to Lima for a few days, and Kurt sat on the couch with Dad, watching Deadliest Catch and Kitchen Nightmares reruns, while Blaine planned a dozen games he wouldn't actually be able to play – not with Rodney Gallagher just barely in the ground.

Rodney Gallagher died too easily.

.

For the first time in years, Kurt had nightmares. He'd wake up shuddering and cuddle in as close to Blaine as he could, and he fumbled one of his lines, and Ty said maybe next year, and Lynn stumbled on the stairs, and everything that had seemed so bright just a _week ago_ was going wrong.

It wasn't until the soufflé collapsed and Kurt burst into sobs that he understood.

Rodney Gallagher wasn't planned. Kurt didn't even see him coming. Rodney Gallagher took all of Kurt's choices away. All of Kurt's _control_.

Bashing someone's head against the wall isn't the way Kurt would kill, given the choice. In the hallway to the _bathroom_ is not the location he would pick. Rodney Gallagher might've been chosen, had Kurt been looking, but everything was wrong.

(_lips on his neck, hands on his belt, breath hot on his ear_)

Everything was _wrong_ and none of it was his choice.

"Kurt," Blaine whispered. "Tell me what you need."

.

It was a terrible idea. Kurt's friends were still hyperaware of him, the police might come sniffing around, Kurt wasn't in the right place to plan and execute _anything_ -

But he _needed_ it, and that was all Blaine had to hear.

.

Blaine stayed in the background after finding and catching Brendan Darlis. Brendan Darlis had the unfortunate luck of looking very similar to Rodney Gallagher, but their likenesses ended there.

Kurt chose to use knives. Kurt chose to completely immobilize Brendan. Kurt chose to start at the bottom and work his way up while Brendan was awake and aware for everything – and to explain _why_/ every step of the way.

"But I'm not Rodney!" he screamed, ignored by both of them.

Besides, Kurt knew that. Of course it wasn't Rodney he bled and gutted, or Rodney who sobbed the whole time, begging until he choked on his own blood.

Kurt kept calling him that anyway – he _chose_ to.

.

"Do you feel better?" Blaine asked as they walked home after cleaning up.

"Yes," Kurt replied, smiling up at New York. The world was bright again.


	63. Popular

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron.

Warnings: mentions of violence/death

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Wordcount: 320

Point of view: third

Prompt: any, any, the popular kids

* * *

At McKinley, Kurt Hummel was the lowest of the low. He had a few friends, all unpopular, and each was higher on the social ladder than Kurt.

At McKinley, playing sports equaled popularity – even when the team never won except for the single game Kurt played in, and the Monday after winning it, he was right back in the dumpster.

At McKinley, even before confirming his orientation, Kurt was the obvious target – short, small, attitude bigger than he was. It would never had mattered what he did; McKinley wasn't his place.

Besides, he didn't want their version of popularity: fragile, wavering, always on the edge. Like Project Runway - _one day, you're in. the next, you're out_.

But Dalton…

Dalton was Blaine's. He was everyone's favorite, charming and gifted and funny (and so very handsome). He was just as athletic as any of McKinley's favored jocks but he wore it better, and he led the Warblers, to boot. The Warblers ruled the school.

Kurt started at Dalton as a shadow of himself, delicate and bruised, and Blaine guided him, Blaine guarded him, and no one gave him trouble. No one _wanted_ to. He was Blaine's, just like Dalton.

His senior year, though… he still wasn't as loud as he'd been at McKinley, still wasn't as bright, but he was more Kurt than Dalton had seen yet, and all those boys loved him for it. He was _royalty_ at Dalton, standing beside Blaine and surveying his realm, beautiful and remote.

McKinley's unwashed masses wouldn't recognize the Kurt who ruled Dalton.

McKinley's unwashed masses wouldn't recognize the Kurt at Julliard or – or the Kurt who got away with murder.

It was funny, though, he thought, smiling at Blaine, who was staring into Ted Ramirez's eyes as he died, that the Kurt who spent most of freshman year in the dumpster _is_ the same Kurt with gallons of blood on his hands.


	64. History

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron

Warnings: domestic violence – spousal abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, rape; murder

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, OMCs/OFCs

Rating: R

Wordcount: 660

Point of view: third

Prompt: Author's Choice, Any/Any(/Any) "I love you, but you are not mine"

* * *

Ethan sees the way Burt and Kurt interact and sometimes he thinks, _I wish that had been mine_.

.

In a tiny, postage-stamp sized town in the middle of Ohio, there are legends of a man so evil no one speaks his name. All the old-timers who actually remembered his reign of terror have passed on and only myths remain.

His name was Anthony York. He had a wife he beat to death and three daughters he raped for years. Everyone in that tiny little town knew but it wasn't their business. They were all terrified to draw his attention, even the sheriff. It wasn't until Anthony's eye wandered to his closest neighbor's daughter that anyone worked up the courage to put him down.

The youngest of Anthony's daughters survived by running away to Cleveland, where she found work as a prostitute.

At least this time, she told herself, she got _paid_ for it.

Three years into her new life, she met and fell in love with Bobby Johnson, a man who wasn't all that different from the daddy she still had night terrors about. Bobby was a nasty piece of work who couldn't keep a job, and he took out all his frustrations on Marianna. In spite of the abuse (which she was far too used to), Marianna bore Bobby two children in two years: a daughter she called Hope and a son Bobby called Junior.

Bobby got arrested, tried, and convicted for murder when Junior was eighteen months old. No one claimed Marianna's body so the state buried her. The state also took in her children.

Hope was a beautiful little girl with honey-brown eyes and dark blonde hair; she got adopted swiftly and grew up happy. But Junior…

Junior was fostered with a family that liked to go camping. When he was three, his new father and mother got lost in the backwoods and were never found. Junior, however, was found wandering on a hiking trail, covered in blood and bruises because the woods aren't kind to toddlers.

His story made the front page in half a dozen towns (including the one his mother fled). A housewife who wanted children but couldn't conceive read Junior's story and told her husband it was a sign.

So Junior became Ethan Anderson, the only child of Victor and Gloria Anderson.

Ethan's parents never told him he was adopted. So when he looks at his younger son, he has no idea where the darkness in Blaine's soul could've come from. Ethan also has no idea he has a sister and nieces and grandnieces somewhere in the world –

And Blaine has no idea that he and his husband kill his youngest cousin on a gorgeous spring day. Even if he did know, he wouldn't care.

.

Ethan loves both his sons, he really does. Cooper was always happy, always optimistic, always determined to make it big and have the whole world learn his name. Once Cooper hit the double-digits, he ran out of time for his father – and that's when Blaine came along. Ethan used everything he had learned from raising Cooper and was determined that his relationship with Blaine would be stronger.

That didn't work out at all. Ethan tried his best, he _knows_ he did, but he has essentially _no_ relationship with his younger son at all, and he _wants_ to feel worse about that, but…

There is something _not right_ about Blaine. Ethan doesn't know where it came from, what he and Maria did so wrong…

But he loves Blaine. Blaine is his son. Whatever happens, Blaine is _his_.

But not like Kurt Hummel is Burt's. What Kurt and his father have, Ethan has never had with his sons, and that aches. He wants to ask Burt what the secret is, what he did that Ethan didn't –

But. But there is darkness in Kurt's soul, just like in Blaine's.

Maybe the difference is that Ethan has always seen it, and Burt never has.


	65. Blind

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron; I stole a line from iClueless/i

Warnings: canon character death; grief; mentions of sexual assault; trauma

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, Burt/Kurt's mother

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 810

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any, I've learned never to put a ? where God has put a period.

* * *

Once, a couple days before Kurt's eighth birthday, Katie asked Burt, "Have you noticed anything... odd about Kurt?"

Burt shrugs. "He's a little fussy." Kurt's more than a _little _fussy. He likes things to be a certain way, doesn't like other kids or animals, and prefers playing with dolls to catch.

Burt doesn't care. Kurt is his son, the most important person in the world. If Kurt would rather have tea parties than toss around a football, then Burt will sit down for a tea party and wear the silly hat Kurt gives him.

If anyone has a problem with that, Burt's got a shotgun and a shovel, and he knows an empty stretch of ground that'd make an excellent resting place.

"Burt," Katie says quietly, glancing towards the dining room, where Kurt's got magazines spread over the table. His stuffed shark is in the chair next to him, and Kurt's explaining about the various princess dresses they're searching the magazines for. "Burt," Katie says again, grabbing his hand and tugging him away from the dining room. "Kurt's been asking me – he wants to know if killing is always wrong, and it's starting to worry me."

"He's a kid, Katie," Burt tells her. "He's curious." Besides… killing's not always wrong.

The very next week, Katie and Kurt are in an accident, and Burt has to bury the love of his life.

Katie's worries about Kurt are forgotten in the face of Burt's absolute terror that he'd lose his son, too. Kurt doesn't speak English for half a year, and Burt barely understands a handful of French. Thankfully, though, he _knows_ his son and they muddle through. After, Kurt's never as carefree or careless as he was before, and his fussiness becomes meticulousness and a need to control _everything _around him.

Burt talks to a kid shrink about it, but never makes Kurt see her.

When Kurt's ten, Burt shows him how to work his shotgun. The kid's a natural but he doesn't really like it, so Burt lets him be.

When Kurt's thirteen, Burt seriously considers moving the hell away from Lima, but he never really works up the nerve to even mention it to Kurt.

Then there's Carole, and Finn (the son Burt thinks he maybe always should've wanted, but… Finn's a good kid, but he's _not Burt's son_), and Karofsky.

Burt really could've killed Karofsky, but the bastard ran away. (Paul Karofsky is the same age as Burt, and his son was the same age as Kurt – but Kurt is Burt's _baby boy_, and Karofsky was _twice his size_, and he left his _fingerprints on Kurt's neck_… Burt can't forgive that. Not ever.)

Then there's Blaine. Blaine, who saved Kurt's life, and took him under his wing. Blaine, the only person Kurt smiled for in half a year. Blaine, who Burt will always be thankful for.

The one time Burt asks, after Kurt's gotten out, moved to New York with the man he'll one day marry, hesitant and worried that maybe he'd fucked up, Kurt tells him that no, he's glad they never moved. Because he was in Ohio, he met Blaine.

Sometimes, though, Burt still wishes he'd moved them away. Out of Lima, at least. Because Kurt wouldn't have needed Blaine if there hadn't been Karofsky.

"C'mon, Burt," Carole calls from the door. "I know you don't want to be late."

Burt grabs his present off the dresser and hurries downstairs. "I'm ready," he says. "Let's go."

Carole couldn't get off work for a visit to New York, but she's dropping him off at the airport on her way in. It'll be the first time he sees his son in months, and he can't wait. It's a little early for Kurt's birthday (not till next week) but it's the only time he can swing it.

Kurt seems taller every time Burt sees him, but he knows Kurt still can't be growing.

"Burt?" Carole asks while Burt wipes at his eyes, at the few tears he couldn't sniff back.

"It's nothin'," he mumbles. "Somethin' in my eye."

How the fuck is Burt's kid almost thirty years old? Just yesterday, he was a tiny little thing, fit in Burt's hands. Yesterday, he was a fussy little boy who always made Burt wear ridiculous hats and danced with Katie around the kitchen.

Yesterday…

"Yeah," Carole says, "I get that thing in my eye all the time."

Burt chuckles. "He's just so big now," Burt murmurs.

Carole reaches for his hand and squeezes gently. "Give him a hug and kiss from me," she says, and Burt promises.

Just yesterday, Kurt was a baby that quit crying every time Burt recited the parts of an engine. And now he's all grown up with a husband and a life in the city of his dreams.

Katie would be proud of their boy, Burt knows.


	66. Vision

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron

Warnings: murder; implied gore; outside pov

Pairings: none stated

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 160

Point of view: third

Prompt: any, any, the cases you never forget

* * *

By the fifth boy, Dev knows they're not running away. He talks to Wilcox about it, and goes to the chief - but there's no signs of foul play. They all just disappear, taking all their stuff with them, one after the other...

Dev knows but can't prove it.

One after another, Dev _knows _but can't prove it, and it bothers him for years.

.

Thirty years later, Dev is Police Chief Devon Markham and hasn't thought about those missing boys in a decade. But he gets the call from Quentin while Reilly is trying to calm a pair of hikers down – "Chief," Quentin says, voice shaking, "we found – we found a dumping ground."

"Shit," Dev mutters, and starts making calls.

.

One after another – all eight boys who 'ran away' from Lima, two missing from Columbus, one who vanished from Dalton Academy in Westerville… eleven children brutally murdered and left to rot.

It makes headlines across the country. Dev wishes he'd been wrong.


	67. Thanks

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron

Warnings: outside pov

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, OFC/OMC

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 350

Point of view: third

Prompt: author's choice, author's choice, I thank you from my heart

Note: reread chapter 33

* * *

"Are you having a good evening?" Evie asks when Kurt Hummel walks in. It's Thanksgiving eve and she's about to close; Oliver is in the back straightening up so everything is ready for Friday. Neither of them is ever alone in the store anymore.

"I am, thank you," Kurt says warmly. "What about you?"

She nods. "Monica and her family are in town for Thanksgiving." She chuckles. "Oliver wanted to move down to Tampa after the – well, the incident." She waves a hand around the store. "But this is my life's dream, you know?"

"I do," he says, nodding. "I don't think I could give up my dream for anything."

Evie smiles. "What do you need?" she asks.

"This is the first Thanksgiving Blaine and I are hosting," he says, looking young and excited. "My family is in town and I ran out of fruit juice. I don't suppose you have any left?"

"Of course I do," Evie tells him. "For you, I have anything."

He ducks his head; he really is such a good boy. She just wants to bring him home and take care of him, but knows he wouldn't allow it.

"Let me show you," Evie says gently, leading him over to the cooler. "We have cranberry, pineapple, orange, and apple."

"Oh, good," Kurt sighs with relief. "My brother's in town and he inhales everything in sight. I'll take one of each."

Evie grabs a container of cranberry and pineapple; Kurt takes the other two and they walk over to the counter. "On the house," Evie tells him, bagging all four.

"Ms. Alquin, you can't keep giving me stuff for free!" Kurt says.

"Kurt Hummel," she says sternly, "you kept a terrible situation from being any worse. The least I can do is give you some juice, _comprende_?"

"Yes, ma'am," he mutters, but then he smiles that beautiful smile at her. "Have a good Thanksgiving, Ms. Alquin. Thank you for the juice!" He carefully takes both bags and hurries out.

She watches him go, smiling, and locks the door after him, turning the sign to say CLOSED.


	68. Hidden

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron

Warnings: cold-blooded murder, terror, and implied gore

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 240

Point of view: third

Prompt: any, any his/her secret life

* * *

"Cissa," Blaine says gently, scooting his stool a little closer to the chair where she's folded in on herself, tearful eyes still on her mother. "Please, I know this is scary. You keep falling down, don't you? Sometimes you can hear perfectly and sometimes only barely. Right?"

She nods the smallest nod he's ever seen, glancing at him with frightened eyes before looking back at her mother.

"We're just going to run a few tests, okay, Cissa?" he consoles her, patting her knee as he stands up. "None of it will hurt, I promise."

He smiles at Mrs. Stetson. "Don't worry, ma'am," he tells her quietly, going back to Cissa's chart.

.

Blaine's popular at the clinic. He's popular at the hotline he still volunteers at a few times a month. He's popular at the gym and the clubs he visits, with and without his boyfriend/fiancé/husband.

Everyone likes Blaine Anderson.

.

"Don't worry," Blaine says gently, trailing the knife along the girl's cheek, down to the base of her throat. She's sobbing, hands cuffed behind her back, begging through the gag. "It'll only hurt for a second," he tells her. "I promise."

Her scream is muffled, and Kurt steps up next to him, his favorite knife in hand. "You want to?" Blaine offers, and Kurt shakes his head.

Blaine smiles, reaching out to caress the girl's jaw. "Look at me," he orders.

When she meets his gaze, he flicks the knife across her throat.


	69. Moments

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron

Warnings: psycho/sociopathy, murder, torture, gore, unhealthy codependency, and casual discussion of years of successful serial killing

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: R

Wordcount: 630

Point of view: third

Prompt: Author's choice, author's choice, stunned

* * *

In his entire life, Blaine has felt one moment of pure, undiluted terror. He thinks, sometimes, every now and then, staring down at his playmates as they writhe and whimper and whine, that that one instant must be how they feel, watching him with such agony and anguish.

_I know, Blaine,_Kurt had said, just dropping into the air. Such a simple sentence. Such an innocent sentence. It could have meant anything.

_I know, Blaine,_and it could have been the end. Maybe it should've been.

"Please, please, oh god, please, anything," Danny Tavros screams, but all Blaine can hear is _I know. I know. I know._

One moment of heart-stopping fear in thirty years. He had frozen, there in his bed with Kurt. Kurt had had him completely fooled, a feat no one else has ever managed. From the moment they met on those stairs, a battered beautiful boy and the perfect predator – not at all the roles Blaine had assigned them.

"Please, what do you want, I'm sorry, I won't tell," Danny Tavros shrieks, but all Blaine can hear is, _I know._

All Blaine wants is Kurt's happiness. All Blaine desires is Kurt's kiss, Kurt's touch, Kurt's undivided attention and adoration.

Kurt is at work, a last-minute emergency. They both should be playing with Danny Tavros, and Blaine glares down at him, _bored_. He turns away from the table and stalks over to his bag of toys (lovingly compiled, organized, and maintained by Kurt) to grab one of his guns. He checks the safety and the clip, making sure it's empty, before going back to Tavros (still _crying_, but it's such an annoying sound, and Kurt's voice is echoing _I know. I know. I know._).

Blaine holds the barrel and slams the grip down onto Tavros' face over and over and over again, until what's left is barely recognizable as a human.

Clean-up is Blaine's least favorite part of the whole thing. Sometimes it can be thrilling, but usually it's just so boring. Kurt loves it, though – all the planning and plotting.

In Kurt's plan for the night, Tavros was meant to be found. He was _supposed _to a victim of random gang violence, one of thousands to never find justice. Just one of thousands whose case goes cold, forgotten and unimportant, who probably deserved whatever happened to him.

Blaine's fucked that up, though. Torture and then a single shot to the back of his head is different from torture and then having his face smashed in.

Kurt's going to be annoyed.

(_I know. I know. I know._)

Blaine carefully cleans his gun, trying to decide what to do. He only has a few hours before Kurt gets home, and Kurt will want a play-by-play description. Blaine has to come up with something amazing, something that will stun Kurt into breathlessness. Something new, that neither of them has used for disposal yet.

He glances back at the body, tapping his finger against the hammer.

Sometimes, he wants to feel it again, that pure, undiluted terror. The sheer mind-numbing horror (_he knows, he knows, he **knows**_) of being sure the best thing in his life would turn on him, would pull back in disgust, would force Blaine to kill him.

Every day with Kurt is a gift. Every night with Kurt is perfection.

"Maybe something with fire," he murmurs, walking back to the body. "What do you think, Danny?"

Tavros doesn't answer, of course. Blaine would worry about his sanity if Tavros did.

He's still not sure he's ever shown Kurt how much he loves him. How much he _needs _him.

Getting rid of Tavros in the right way, and then whispering the tale into Kurt's skin might be the first step.

Yeah.

Fire's the way to go.


	70. Kyle

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron

Warnings: cold-blooded murder

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 865

Point of view: third

* * *

In the multitude of Kurt's mental lists, the shortest only has two names. It's also the only one that Blaine can recite by heart.

.

Blaine likes Burt well enough. Burt is a wonderful father, he supposes, and Burt is probably the reason why Kurt turned out so awesome, and so long as Burt never becomes a threat –

"Blaine," Kurt had said quietly one night while they were still at Dalton, and Blaine didn't recognize the significance until New York, until the same moment he realized Kurt had _always_ looked at and iseen/i him. "Blaine, if anything ever happened to my father," he'd confessed, half a year into their relationship, "it'd would break my heart. I think… I think I would die."

"Don't worry," Blaine had assured him, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. "He's as healthy as horse now, isn't he?"

But in New York, watching Kurt sleep, still reeling at the knowledge that Kurt has always known, has been _guiding_ Blaine's hand –

That conversation about Burt's health… it had been a _warning_.

.

When Kurt was thirty-one, he told his husband, "I want a child." He presented Blaine with three lists: the first had fourteen reasons for his request, the second pros and cons of having a child, and the third detailed out ways to keep playing the game despite having a newborn, toddler, preteen, and eventually a teenager in their home.

It was the last list plus Kurt's evident desire that swayed Blaine. (The last list was also the only one destroyed.)

.

Kurt took care of everything: he budgeted for a surrogate and child, found five possible women, arranged things at both his jobs, planned out dates for the game, and prepared.

Of the five women, it was Blaine's choice. He chose Lynn Dallas; she was a little shorter than Blaine with bright blue eyes, pale skin, and dark blonde hair.

Kurt didn't care which of them was the father, so Blaine told him to go for it. Kurt wanted a child – he would have a child.

Lynn didn't move in but she did provide Kurt with weekly updates after she finally conceived, almost two years after Kurt presented Blaine with his three lists.

On October 17, 2027, Lynn gave birth to Kurt and Blaine's son. Her only request had been that they name him Kyle, so he became Kyle Burton Hummel-Anderson.

As detailed in the third list, Blaine and Kurt didn't play a game until Kyle's sixth month. Then, Kurt asked a close friend if she'd mind babysitting for a night so he and Blaine could go on a mental health date.

Kurt took Blaine somewhere new and gave him free rein with the old man crying in handcuffs. Kurt himself spent time on the pretty little upstart who'd been trying to steal his roles.

Blaine went to sleep sated that night and didn't dream about getting rid of the infant who kept screaming for Kurt's attention.

.

"Blaine," Kurt said while feeding Kyle, "I have a new list. You have to memorize it, okay?"

Blaine nodded, so Kurt said, "Burt Hummel. Kyle Hummel-Anderson."

After a moment passed with no explanation, Blaine said, "… okay?"

Kurt took a breath and let it out. "They're off-limits, Blaine. Whatever happens, you cannot _ever_ play with _either_ of them."

Blaine stared at him for a moment, then at the baby. "Okay," he said."

Kurt didn't look away from him for a few minutes, but he also didn't demand any other promises or guarantees.

Kurt's father and Kurt's son were the only two names ever put on that list.

.

When Kyle was six, he came home from kindergarten and asked his daddy what the word _fag _meant. Papa was working late and it was Daddy's day off.

Daddy picked Kyle up and went to the couch, where he sat down, placed Kyle next to him, and said, "Where did you learn that word?"

"Adam Shyton called you and Papa that," Kyle explained. "Ms. Appley heard him and took him to see Ms. Wilcox in the office." He shrugged. "But no one will tell me what it means."

Blaine would realize later that _this_ was the moment he wished he loved his son. Staring down at Kurt's eyes in a tiny, helpless little face, Blaine thought, _I'd kill anyone who ever hurts you, son._

Blaine thought, _**My** son_.

.

Kurt took great care to conceal what he and Blaine's 'dates' actually were. Kyle was too much like his grampa to ever condone or understand.

Kyle was like his grampa in another way, too: he had all the pieces and never put them together. He had no idea.

He would never have any idea, even when going through his fathers' things, after burying his papa next to his dad. Kurt left no trace and Blaine quit keeping trophies when he started killing with Kurt.

.

"I'm surprised you had a kid," Cooper told Blaine once. He kept picturing Blaine and the baby squirrel, years and years ago.

Blaine shrugged. "Kurt wanted one," he said.

Blaine's relationship with Kurt is one of many things Cooper has ever understood about his brother.

"Besides," Blaine added with a boyish grin, "Kyle's grown on me."


	71. Clean Up

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron

Warnings: cold-blooded murder

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG13

Wordcount: 435

Point of view: third

Prompt: I'd like to see an instance where Kurt cleaned up for Blaine before Blaine knew Kurt knew.

* * *

When Blaine killed and disposed of Daniel Saunders, he left a mess in the boy's room. Saunders was the first he killed at home instead of luring him away somewhere else and Blaine got excited: he wasn't thinking clearly.

What he didn't know was that after seven months of knowing Blaine and three months of dating him, Kurt could see the signs as clear as day.

He followed Blaine to Saunders' house and waited until Blaine left with the body. After Blaine was gone, Kurt inspected each room until he found the murder scene. He then proceeded to erase any evidence Blaine had left in his hurry and created a small mess – as though Saunders had thrown stuff around looking for something and then stormed out. The entire thing was simplified by the fact that Saunders' had no car; he'd crashed it six months before and his parents refused to get him a new one until he brought his grades up.

They wouldn't have to worry about that now.

.

When Blaine killed and disposed of Corey Frankston, he misplaced his phone. If Kurt hadn't peeked into the crime scene, Blaine's burgeoning career as a serial killer would've been over at the eleventh body.

Kurt carefully picked up the phone without touching anything else and brought it back to his dorm.

That night, Blaine began panicking when he couldn't find his cell. Half an hour before curfew, Kurt went to his room and said, "Sweetie, you left this on the floor by my bed."

"Oh," Blaine sighed in relief. He took his phone and dropped it on his desk, then pulled Kurt onto the bed with him.

.

Kurt really wanted to tell him before they traded in Ohio for New York. But Ohio was Blaine's – New York would be _theirs_. Equal partners. Complementary styles, as soon as Kurt figured out what his style was.

Blaine would help with that, he knew.

.

On their first anniversary in New York, their second altogether, Blaine told Kurt everything. He promised to show Kurt the boneyard when they went back to Ohio.

Kurt didn't tell him about covering his tracks. Blaine was smart enough to have already figured that out.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," Kurt gasped into his neck.

"I love you so much," Blaine gasped back.

.

Out of everyone in the world, they found each other. Like it was fate.

They belong to each other, written in blood, down into their bones.

"Tell me what you want," Kurt orders.

"You," Blaine replies, eyes bright, smiling the smile no one else will ever see.


	72. Impotence

Title: a storm whereon they ride  
Disclaimer: title from Byron  
Warnings: thoughts of murder  
Pairings: Kurt/Blaine  
Rating: PG  
Wordcount: 275  
Point of view: third  
Prompt: Either Kurt or Blaine gets physically hurt by someone and it's all the other can do NOT to seek revenge because it could be the thing that brings them down.

* * *

During his second semester at grad school, Blaine was attacked on campus. There were witnesses who pulled the man off him before Blaine could kill the stupid bastard, and the campus police escorted them both to the security building. Blaine gave his statement and went home. His attacker was Ty Bradwell, an undergrad, high as kite, and expelled.

When Kurt learned of the incident, he was furious. And because of the connection between Ty Bradwell and Blaine, Kurt was helpless to act on his rage. Ty Bradwell couldn't be touched for a long time. Anything that happened to him might lead back to Blaine.

Kurt channeled his fury into his acting, which gave him a new fire that earned him a great deal of praise.

Blaine put the situation behind him but it simmered in the back of Kurt's mind. He planned and discarded a dozen ideas to deal with Ty Bradwell. Weeks, months, and finally years passed.

Even Kurt had mostly forgotten about the drugged-up undergrad who attacked Blaine in front of the library.

And there he was in the obituaries. A drug-deal gone bad, survived by his parents, a death that Kurt had nothing to do with. A much quicker, painless death than Kurt would've given the fool.

He turned the page and kept reading. Blaine called it a throwback and told him repeatedly he should go digital like everyone else, but Kurt liked the feel of the paper, liked being able to unfold it – even liked the crisp smell.

Before tossing the paper in the recycling bin, he reread Ty Bradwell's obituary. Not as satisfying as killing the man himself, but satisfying nonetheless.


	73. Growing Up

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron

Warnings: implied murder; mentions of domestic abuse

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine, OMC/OFC

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 690

Point of view: third

Prompt: considering that moment when Kurt and Blaine's mothers tried to teach them about right and wrong, I'd love to see something similar for Kyle.

* * *

Blaine and Kurt had very few rules for Kyle when he was young. There was nowhere in the apartment he couldn't go because anything sensitive was kept in their offices or out of reach, and the _truly_ sensitive was never written down or brought home.

As Kyle got older, social media and school taught him right from wrong. He lied to his parents a couple times, just stupid little kid things, but Dad gave him a look and he knew Dad knew. The only time Kyle got in _actual_ trouble was when he bullied some kids for a couple days in middle school. Papa was _furious_. He sat Kyle down for a long talk and then went after the school.

Dad was the one Kyle went to, though, whenever he had questions – about lying, about violence, about right and wrong. Maybe it was because Dad was a lot like a doctor but Dad had more clear-cut explanations than Papa. Papa talked about emotions, about how if something feels wrong, it probably is. Like a sixth sense or his gut or something.

But Dad had actual _data_. He had books and long discussions with Kyle, and Kyle learned a lot.

It would be a long time before he realized everything he learned, and even then, he didn't fully connect the dots.

.

When Kyle is seventeen, he gets in a fight with a guy who's been talking shit about Tommy's dad. Neither Dad nor Papa punish him for the fight itself and neither of them ask if he won (which he did).

Dad just asks, "Feel better?" and Papa tells him to keep the fight away from school next time.

Kyle is suspended for three days. He spends most of it lounging on the couch and reading Aunt Talia's new book.

He goes back to school on Friday and everything is fine.

.

Kyle and Dana break up their junior year of college at opposite ends of the country (Kyle's at NYU majoring in sociology and Dana's at New Mexico State University learning about tourism management), but they stay friends. Kyle soon starts hanging out with Tori from his study group. They're mostly friends (… _yes, Dad, with benefits. Shut up_.) because he's lonely. Dana and Tommy have always been his closet companions, and Dana's in _New Mexico_ and busy with her own life while Tommy's in the marines.

But Kyle is charming and friendly and he's always been popular in whatever group he's currently in. Papa says he gets that part of his personality from his dad.

Two months into their arrangement, Kyle introduces Tori to his parents. For some reason, Papa doesn't like her, but he does his icy polite thing, and while it's _obvious_ he's tolerating her, Tori really seems to think he adores her.

Dad is gracious and delightful, and he goes out of his way to make up for Papa's attitude.

Kyle has no idea what the problem is but he never brings Tori back to his parents'.

.

Cassidy somehow offends Dad while Kyle and Papa are getting snacks.

After dinner out with his parents, Willa (a psychology major) tells Kyle that Dad and Papa are psychopaths and refuses to see him again. (Seriously, what the fuck?)

Samantha turns out to be possessive and borderline-abusive. She even throws a pan at him when he asks her to leave. She disappears not too long after, and Papa tells him, smiling, that it's good riddance to bad rubbish. Kyle just shrugs, relieved he won't have to deal with her anymore.

Dana graduates a week before Kyle does. He asks his parents to help with the airfare, and he promises to pay them back.

Instead, Dad buys him a first class seat and tells him, "Give Dana a hug from us."

.

Dana moves back to New York and somehow swings an internship at The Plaza Hotel. She and Kyle stay friends for a while before she asks him out. Kyle goes straight into grad school like Dad did and he says yes.

He knows they're going to get married one day, but they have all the time in the world.


	74. Sight

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron

Warnings: pre-series

Pairings: none

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 260

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any, s/he had been such a strange child

* * *

Astrid Tintegal was the librarian at Columbus Academy for over forty years; she was nearing retirement when Blaine Anderson first caught her attention. She was reading _Mick Harte Was Here _to his fourth grade class and at the end of the chapter, Blaine raised his hand. Astrid called on him, of course. She never forgot what he asked.

"Ms. Tintegal," he said politely, "why didn't Phoebe find the driver and kill him?"

Astrid blinked at him. "Beg pardon?" she asked after a moment.

Blaine smiled and chuckled. "I'm joking, I'm sorry," he said.

The kids close to him edged away. Astrid decided to believe he was joking and continued reading.

.

She noticed him after that, though. Noticed that for all he was well-liked, some kids wouldn't go near him. Noticed that the books he'd read while _in_ the library were far more violent than the ones he stood in line to take home. Noticed that he doodled _interesting _things on his busywork and his contributions to storytime were even _more _interesting.

Astrid mentioned it to Donna Pruitt, Blaine's homeroom teacher, once. Donna just laughed it off because Blaine was such a charming boy.

He was quite the little charmer.

By all accounts, so was Hitler.

.

Astrid retired at the end of the year. She focused on her garden and her grandkids.

She couldn't read _Mick Harte Was Here_ to Ellie and Pete without remembering that little boy, the one who asked about Phoebe getting vengeance. There was something _off _about him.

Despite that, she never could remember his name.


	75. First Date

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron

Warnings: takes place in season 2; mentions of bullying and sexual assault

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 265

Point of view: third

Prompt: Any, any/any, choosing the perfect first-date attire

* * *

During his first month at Dalton, Kurt keeps his head down. He follows along behind Blaine, sways in the background with the Warblers, and only answers when teachers ask him direct questions.

No one knows for sure what happened at his old school, but considering how he flinches from boys bigger than him, it's pretty easy to guess.

.

Blaine, all along, is the only exception. Where everyone else is nervous about frightening Kurt or getting in his space, Blaine holds his hand, puts an arm across his shoulders, sits too close. And Kurt never shies away from him.

Kurt blushes and ducks his head, or mumbles, or asks an inane question to turn the conversation - but he doesn't pull away, doesn't move back.

.

Towards the end of February, Blaine's touches begin lasting longer, lingering; Kurt can feel the heat through his clothes (such a boring uniform, honestly, but such good camouflage). So when Blaine knocks on his door one evening, close to curfew, and he holds out a bouquet of red tulips, smiling bashfully at Kurt -

"Yes," Kurt says before Blaine even asks a question.

.

Blaine and Kurt's first date is sitting on Kurt's bed on a Monday night, disagreeing with almost everything Joan Rivers says on the re-run of Fashion Police they watch on Kurt's laptop. A vase of tulips is on Kurt's bedside table.

The next morning, Kurt kisses Blaine on the lips before they separate for their first class. By lunch, everyone knows they're dating.

.

In nine years, Kurt and Blaine marry on their anniversary and present each other with yellow tulips.


	76. They'

Title: a storm whereon they ride

Disclaimer: title from Byron

Warnings: mentions of sexual assault/rape; implied murder

Pairings: Kurt/Blaine

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 395

Point of view: third

Prompt: any, any, everybody knows

* * *

Nobody is surprised when Kurt and Blaine get together because it's been obvious from that performance of Teenage Dream that they would.

Jeff gives Nick ten dollars because they start dating before March, even though Jeff tries to argue that it shouldn't count because February 28 is practically March, anyway. Nick just _looks _at him and Jeff hands the money over.

.

The Warblers adopt Kurt, even before he auditions. He trails behind Blaine like a kicked puppy and Jon, the Council's representative to the administration, takes Blaine aside to ask how bad Kurt's former school was.

(Blaine knows that Jon's little sister was raped at a party because he makes it his business to know _everything _about everyone. Knowledge is power.)

He tells Jon it was pretty bad, but Kurt's body language speaks for itself.

Until he graduates in May, Jon keeps an extra eye on Kurt. He's glad the most popular boy in school adores Kurt, because that means that the rest of the student body (gentlemen, yes, but i_eenage boys_) adores him, too.

.

Everybody knows Blaine Anderson is a stand-up guy. He's going places, and he'll do things, and they'll all say, yeah, he's always been that good a person.

Blaine Anderson is the Dalton ideal.

Kurt Hummel is smart, attractive, talented, witty, and charming. He's the perfect match for Blaine.

That's why Sebastian Smythe's reputation plummets when he tries to slip in-between them and grab Blaine for himself.

It's also why no one misses him when he's gone.

.

Kurt's 'Dalton friends' are Blaine's 'Dalton friends,' though Blaine doesn't realize that until they're in New York. Then, Kurt starts making 'Julliard friends' while Blaine accessorizes himself with 'NYU friends,' and their nights are filled with studying and working and socializing because one never knows when 'friends' might come in handy.

Also, being in such large crowds makes the hunting so much easier.

.

Blaine doesn't talk to his family much. Kurt regales his father with what his 'study group' did at the last meeting.

Kurt and Blaine are both popular amongst their peers, regarded well by the faculty and administration, and everyone knows they'll be successful in whatever they eventually decide to do.

.

(No one knows they're already _extremely _successful at what they do.

No one knows what they did last night.

But everyone knows they're perfect for each other, and about that, everyone is right.)


End file.
